


Recall

by Kenyancougar



Category: Flashpoint (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-04-26 14:15:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 46
Words: 122,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5007874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kenyancougar/pseuds/Kenyancougar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when there is a threat from a terrorist cell on home soil? The experts are called in and one man is forced to return to a life that he had left behind. How are the boys and girls from the SRU involved, and what will happen when the case hits close to home? *Takes place after the series finale.* *Includes all our favorite Flashpoint characters and a few OC's*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Surprises

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Flashpoint.

"Hey boss, what brings you to the Barn?" Ed asked with a smile as he approached Winnie's desk. It was early morning and Team One was just about to come on shift to relieve Team Two and had been surprised to find his longtime friend, and former sergeant, Greg Parker hanging around.

"Meeting with Holleran." Parker answered as he turned to Ed.

"Oh, so I see how it is. You don't come by to see  _us_  anymore." Ed teased. He knew Greg had been busy at the academy and rarely go the time to stop by SRU HQ like he wanted.

"Don't you have a shift to get ready for?" Greg asked, ignoring the comments from his former Team Leader.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, you're not my sergeant anymore. You can't boss me around." Ed threw over his shoulder as he headed to the locker rooms.

"Oh yeah? Then why do you still call me boss?" Greg called with a laugh. He missed this!

"Sounds like old habits die hard." Winnie laughed.

"Sarg!"

Greg turned to see Jules walking towards him, gym bag slung over her shoulder and a huge smile on her face.

"Jules, how are you?" Greg asked as she pulled her into a hug. This woman was like a daughter to him so he relished every moment they had together.

"I'm good. Sadie's not fussing as much at night so that helps." Jules answered with a grin. Her daughter had just gotten over a cold. Neither of her parent's had gotten much sleep recently.

"How old is she now?"

"Gong on three months." Jules beamed. "Hey, have you seen Sam around?"

"Team two just got back from a hot call. I think I heard Rollie say they were going to hit the showers before they debrief." Greg answered as he shifted his weight. His leg didn't bother him as much as it once had, but it still ached on occasion.

"Okay. I guess I'll catch him when he comes out then." Jules commented, unable to hide her excitement.

"Everything okay Jules?" Greg asked. He could see that she had something she was dying to tell the man.

"Perfect Sarg." Jules replied, unable to hide her wide smile.

"How far along?" Greg asked, his profiler mind always at work.

"What?" Jules asked, trying to hide her increased heart rate at the question.

"How far along are you?" Greg asked again. "I've only seen that smile on your face one other time and that was the day you married Sam and told everyone you were expecting. He doesn't know yet does he?"

"No, he doesn't. With the difference in our shifts this week we've barely seen each other. I was going to tell him this morning." Jules admitted.

"Don't worry. I won't say anything." Greg pulled her into a hug. "Congrats Jules."

"Thanks Sarg." Jules pulled away to go get ready for their shift.

"Everything okay with Jules?" Rollie asked as he approached Team One's former Sergeant and profiler.

"Yeah. She just needs to have a chat with Sam when you're all done with debrief." Greg replied.

"She's going to be pissed at me." Rollie admitted as he looked at the direction Jules had gone. "Especially now."

"You heard?" Greg asked, sensing that Rollie knew  _why_  Jules wanted to talk to Sam.

"Yeah."

"Why is she going to be pissed?" Greg asked, thinking of only one reason why that would happen.

"It was a rough call." Rollie explained as he looked to the locker room where his Team was. "Sam negotiated and everyone got out alive."

"But he got hurt." Greg surmised.

"Yeah. The subject had an explosive. There wasn't enough time for Frank to disarm it and it went of as he and Sam pulled back. The blast threw Sam into a wall. He will be feeling it on his right side for a few days." Rollie explained.

"He'll pull through." Greg commented as he placed a hand on Rollie's shoulder. "He always does."

"Yeah. I guess I had better distract the Team so he and Jules can have a minutes." Rollie observed. "Team Two!" He called, gaining the attention of everyone but Sam, who had not emerged out of the locker room yet. " Frank, Doug, and John why don't you run to Timmy's and grab everyone some coffee." Rollie suggested.

"Sure Sarg. You want a double double?" Frank, Team two's tech and bomb expert, asked.

"Yeah, and get Sam an iced capp please."

"Yes sir." Frank turned to leave with his two teammates just as Team One congregated around Winnie's desk.

"Spike, why don't you take Mark and Alex and go get Team One some coffee too." Ed suggested as with a smirk.

"Backtrack down the stairs, watch for cars on the big road?" Spike asked thinking of Sam's first Hot Call with Team One.

"Exactly." Ed said with all seriousness and he placed a hand on Spike's shoulder. "And make sure you hold the rookie's hands when you cross the street. We don't want them getting lost."

Everyone busted up laughing as the three SRU officers followed those from Team Two out the door.

"No one's ever going to let that go are they?" Jules asked as she wiped tears from her eyes from laughing so hard.

"Not a chance!" Ed declared.

"Sam!" Jules called as she saw her husband walking out of the locker room. She easily noted how tired he was simply from the way he carried himself.

"Jules." Sam barely spoke her name before she was in his arms. He held her close, ignoring the flare of pain from his ribs on his right side. He breathed in her scent and relished the fact that she was in his arms.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Jules asked after kissing Sam.

"You can use the briefing room." Rollie called as he pointed to the empty room. "The guys went to get us some coffee so you have a few minutes."

"Thanks." Sam smiled as he put his arm around Jules and led her to the briefing room.

"Are you okay Sam?" Jules asked worriedly, noting the exhaustion in Sam's blue eyes.

"Long day." Sam stated simply as he rested his elbows on the table.

"What happened?" Jules asked, noting the wrist brace on Sam's right hand for the first time.

Sam looked Jules in the eyes and realized that there was no way he was going to get away with not answering honestly. He took a deep breath, as deep as his bruised ribs would allow.

"We just came back from a bomb call."

"How bad?" Jules asked. The fact that her husband was sporting a wrist brace and hiding the pain when he inhaled deeply told her that they hadn't been able to diffuse the bomb in time.

"Sprained wrist, bruised ribs, and one hell of a headache." Sam answered as he looked back to his hands.

"Oh Sam." Jules gently pulled him into her arms for a moment.

"There was a little girl. A baby." Sam continued. "We got her out but just seeing her in there with that man..."

"Made you think of Sadie." Jules finished for him. "You know, it's not just you, me, and Sadie anymore Sam."

Sam's head shot up and he looked at her.  _That can't be good for his headache._  She thought as she smiled at him.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. He knew what he hoped it meant. They had talked about it before. He just didn't think it would happen this fast.

"We're having another baby. I'm about six weeks along." Jules beamed at him. His thousand megawatt smiled told her everything she needed to know. Today had been a hard day for Sam, but they would get through it, together.

Mere moments later, as Sam and Jules embraced, Jules heard Spike outside the briefing room.

"What's going on? Are Jules and Sam okay?" Spike asked worriedly. He saw his two friends embracing and he hoped that nothing bad had happened.

"Everything perfect Spike." Sam answered as he and Jules pulled apart, smiles permanently plastered on their faces. "Can we tell them?" He asked his wife.

Jules nodded and her smile grew as the couple stood to join Team One and Team Two at Winnie's desk.

"We're having another baby!" Sam announced to his friends.

The group around them erupted in cheers and congratulations and hugs were shared by all. Team Two was excited for their Team Leader. He hadn't been with them long but today he had proven himself to them as a teammate. They couldn't be more thrilled. Team One was more excited about the news. Sam and Jules were family to them, and now their family was growing.

A lot had happened to the Teams in the last year but today was proof that life was good. Proof that they could move forward and live, and be happy. In this moment life couldn't be better!

* * *

"Sir, are you sure this is necessary?" The Captain asked.

"Yes. He is best suited for the job whether he wants to admit it or not. Gather your unit and get to Toronto by twelve hundred hours tomorrow."

"Yes Sir!" The Captain saluted, did a crisp about face, and marched out of his commanding officer's building.  _This is_  not  _going to be good!_  He thought as he looked at the folder in his hands. He couldn't believe that the General was doing this...to his own son!


	2. Family

"Jules, are you sure you want us to come over? We don't mind if you tell us you need to reschedule so that Sam can get some much deserved rest." Ed asked for the fourth time since Team One had returned from their last Hot Call for the day.

"I'm sure. He told me a couple of hours ago that he's looking forward to everyone coming over and he already has the beer in the cooler." Jules told her Team Leader and smiled. "He'd probably get mad if you guys don't come by."

"Well, we're all planning on leaving from here if you're still good with that." Spike piped up as he joined the rest of Team One by Winnie's desk. The dispatcher joined them moments later. Winnie had gone to change so she could join the Team tonight at the Braddock residence. She smiled as Spike wrapped his arm around her waist when she stood next to him.

"Ed, do you need to head home first and get Sophie and the kids?" Jules asked as she headed towards the parking lot.

"Nah, Clark is picking me up and Soph is bringing Izzy and Sadie to your house. She'll meet us there." Ed explained as they entered the parking lot.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to thank her enough for watching Sadie while we're at work." Jules commented as she unlocked her jeep.

"She doesn't mind one bit. Besides, it means Izzy has a friend to play with." Ed smiled as he saw Clark pull into the parking lot.

"See you guys at the house." Jules called as she climbed into her jeep and headed for home. She couldn't wait to see if Sam was feeling any better after getting some rest, and to hold her baby girl in her arms again.

Jules, Clark and Ed, Spike and Winnie, Greg and Dean, Leah, and Sophie all pulled up to Jules house at the same time. As Jules climbed out of the jeep she met Sophie walking up the drive.

"Hey Sophie. Where is Sadie?" Jules asked, not seeing her daughter anywhere around.

"Didn't Sam tell you? He picked her up a few hours ago. Said he would let you know so you wouldn't worry." Sophie explained. She hadn't called Jules herself because Sam had said that he would. Now she was thinking she should have mentioned it.

"No, must have slipped his mind." Just answered distractedly as she walked towards her front door.

"Sam?" Jules called as she stepped through her front door, her friends close behind her. She made it a whole two steps inside the door before she stopped in her tracks. She turned quickly to the rest of the group behind her and motioned for them to be silent as she took a few more steps inside.

As soon as Jules had walked through the front door she saw the most amazing sight before her. Sam was laying down on the couch with Sadie on his chest. Both father and daughter were fast asleep. Sadie stirred at the sound of the door opening but Sam, in his sleep, had adjusted his position and placed a comforting hand on her back even as she snuggled closer to him.

"Cherish this Jules. It won't last forever." Sophie whispered in her ear as the group silently moved to the kitchen. They didn't want to wake either Sam or Sadie right now as both needed the nap.

Jules simply smiled as she walked into the living room. She took hold of a blanket and pulled it overboth her husband and daughter. She then planted a gentle kiss on both of their heads before quietly joining her guests in the kitchen.

"They both sleeping soundly?" Ed asked as he handed Jules a beer from the cooler.

"Yeah." Jules answered softly with a slight tilt of her head. "I don't want to wake either of them up until we have to." She told them.

"We'll keep it down then." Spike commented, even though Jules could see that he wanted so badly to do something to Sam while he slept.

"Spike, you  _will_  leave him alone or I swear I will put cottage cheese in your tac vest for a month!" Jules glared at the prankster.

"Who? Me? Never!" Spike declared with a hand on his chest in mock horror.

"What can we do to help with dinner Jules?" Greg asked, putting an end to the teasing banter.

The Team worked effortlessly together, even in the kitchen. It was approximately an hour later that a tired Sam walked in with Sadie in his arms.

"Hey guys." Sam greeted his friends.

"Hey Samtastic! You're alive!" Spike called in his best Frankenstein voice as he walked over to Sam in order to play with Sadie. "Whoa! Did you teach her how to fill her diaper Sam?"

"Spike." Sam looked into the tech's eyes completely serious. "You do remember I know over fifty ways of killing grown men with my bare hands don't you?"

The entire group just stared at Spike and Sam as they had a stare down, neither man willing to be the one to back down first. Ultimately it was Sophie that saved the day.

"Come on boys, let me have Sadie so we can take care of her dirty diaper." Sophie gently took Sadie from her daddy's arms and laughed as she headed to the nursery to change the smelly diaper.

"How are you feeling Samo?" Ed asked as he offered the other officer a cold beer.

Sam finally broke eye contact with Spike as he looked to Ed, a smile crossing his face.

"Sore, but good." Sam answered, taking the beer and offering Ed a grateful smile. "Thanks."

"Rolie told us you had quite an eventful day." Greg commented as he sipped on his soda.

"I've had worse." Sam pulled Jules into his uninjured side. "Today the good outweighs the bad. I have a gorgeous wife, a beautiful daughter, great friends, and a baby on the way. Life couldn't be better." Sam smiled as he looked down to his wife.

"Well we're all glad you're okay Sam." Dean commented from where he stood next to Clark.

"Yeah. We would have never heard the end of it from Jules if you had been badly injured." Spike commented with a sideways glance at Jules, expecting a punch in the arm for his comment. She didn't disappoint.

"Come on guys. Dinner's ready and I'm starving!" Leah commented as Sophie came back with a fresh Sadie in her arms.

Jules took Sadie and snuggled a tad bit closer into Sam's embrace.

"Thanks for coming guys." Jules said sincerely.

"Jules, you, Sam, Sadie, and the new baby are family to us. It does't matter where we are, or what we are doing we will always have our hands on each other's backs." Greg smiled as he looked around at his Team, his family. "It's been too long since we've spent this time together and I can't tell you how thankful I am that you asked us here."

Around the room were raised drinks and a chorus of "Here, here!"

"There's no place we'd rather be." Spike smiled as he repeated words that he had heard Sam and Jules say on many occasions.

Even though they weren't all on Team One anymore they all knew that nothing would break the bond of brotherhood that the officers all shared. They were family!

* * *

"Okay men, gear up. We report to the flight line in thirty minutes." Captain Williams bellowed as he entered the barracks where the rest of his unit bunked.

"Where to Captain?" Sargent Adams asked as the men started to pack up the few things that weren't already stored and ready to go.

"We're flying out to Toronto tonight. We report there at twelve hundred hours tomorrow." Williams explained.

"Why?" Jackson asked.

"I am not authorized to brief anyone until we arrive Private." Williams answered.

"I hope it's not a mission." Master Corporal Cole muttered. "We're still down a man after Johnson left."

"That won't be an issue much longer. Get your things squared away and get moving. We have a long flight ahead of us." Captain Andrew Williams ordered before leaving the barracks.

Once they reported to Toronto they would pick up the last member of their unit.  _If I can get him to come that is._  Andrew thought. He knew he had quite a task ahead of him. He just hoped the man wouldn't cut his throat for being the bearer of bad news.

"Maybe the General will call ahead." Andrew muttered out loud, even though he knew that probably wouldn't happen. He was pretty sure he was out of luck on that front.

Twenty five minutes later Williams and his unit were on the tarmac and loading their gear into the waiting jet. The Canadian Air Force was giving them a lift out. As the unit strapped in to their seats Williams simply hoped that they could pull this mission off. Lives were depending on it!


	3. Conditions

At eleven thirty in the morning the following day Team Two was waiting out the remaining thirty minutes of their shift by Winnie's desk as Team One was just starting their shift in the briefing room. It had been a rather peaceful day, although no one would mention that fact for fear that it would quickly go sideways on them. Sam was chatting with Team Two about what they were going to be doing with their three day off rotation that started on Saturday. They still had two shifts to get through between now and then, but the Team was excited.

Sam was laughing at a story Rollie was telling about the last time he took his German Shepherd to the vet when he noticed a man enter the building. As the newcomer walked down the hall Sam had a feeling that the man looked familiar, but he wasn't sure until the man approached Winnie's desk.

"Ma'am, my names Andrew Williams. I'm looking for a Sam Braddock." The man told Winnie.

Sam's breath caught in his throat at the sound of the man's voice, and the name the man gave. _It can't be. Why would he be here, looking for me?_ Sam asked himself as he looked closer at the man. It was definitely the Andrew Williams that Sam knew. He would know that man anywhere.

"Williams?" Sam asked as he walked around his Team towards where the man was standing on the other side of Winnie's desk. He had been just out of Andrew's line of sight until now.

"Braddock?" Andrew looked at the man before him and it took a moment for him to reconcile the man he remembered with the man standing before him. This Sam Braddock was happier, lighter, than when he had seen him last.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked as Andrew pulled him into a quick hug. Sam wasn't sure why, but he had a really bad feeling about this. "I haven't seen you since that last mission in Kandahar."

"It's been too long." Andrew stated. "I actually need to talk with you about something. Is there somewhere private we can go?"

"Whatever you need to say, you can say it here. I don't hide anything from my Team." Sam stated as Team One exited the briefing room and Jules headed straight for him.

"Hey Sam, who's this?" Jules asked curiously. She had seen the interaction between the two men and now couldn't help but wonder why the man, who was clearly military, was here.

Jules knew the what the last mission in Kandahar had been. It was the one where Matt had been killed. She also knew that Sam hadn't spoken to any of the men from his unit since he left. He felt like he had betrayed their trust, so why would they want anything to do with him? The fact that one of the men was here now had her beyond curious.

"This is Lieutenant Andrew Williams. We served together in JTF2." Sam explained.

"Actually it's Captain now." Andrew commented with a smirk at the look of surprise on Sam's face.

"They finally promoted you huh? Took them long enough." Sam smiled.

"Yeah, well, we all know how stubborn the General can be." Andrew stated.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Sam asked, the smile still firmly planted on his face as Jules wrapped an arm around his waist.

"The Justice League." Andrew answered seriously, all teasing gone from his expression.

The smile immediately fell from Sam's face and his whole body went still at the words.

"What does a team of comic book superheros have to do with Samtastic?" Spike asked curiously.

"Rollie, I need a few minutes with Captain Williams please." Sam stated as he maintained eye contact with Andrew, his voice completely devoid of emotion.

"Sure Sam, you can use the briefing room." Rollie said immediately, not missing the change in his TL.

"Sam?" Jules was worried. She had both heard and felt the change in Sam at the other man's words and now she was concerned.

"I'll explain soon Jules. I promise." Sam looked at her and offered her a smile. A smile that Jules noted did _not_ reach his eyes.

"Okay." Jules took a small step back, pulling her arm from around her husband's waist.

"Winnie, give Team Three any Hot Calls that come in please." Ed told the dispatcher. Winnie quickly agreed as she watched Sam and Captain Williams head towards the briefing room, sealing the room behind them.

"What's that all about?" Eric from Team Two wondered out loud.

"I don't know, but it must be important." Leah commented as she looked towards the briefing room.

"Must be." Jules muttered, unable to tear her eyes away from the door to the room where Sam was talking with an old Army buddy.

* * *

"What's going on Batman?" Sam asked once the room had been sealed. He needed to know, now.

"Using my handle now are we?" Andrew asked as he walked to the window. "You know, I didn't want to have to be the one to come in here and tell you what's going on. I was hoping the General would do it."

"We all know how he is about passing on the dirty work to others."

Andrew took a deep breath. "The Justice League protocol has been activated."

"Why now?" Sam asked as he remained rooted in place. "Why after all this time?"

"Deathstroke has resurfaced." Andrew answered as he turned to face Sam.

"What?" Sam whispered in astonishment. "I thought we took care of him, years ago!"

"We were under the impression that we had." Andrew took a few steps towards Sam as he continued to explain. "We recently received intelligence that Deathstroke, Abdul Akbar, was recruiting and building his forces."

"So why doesn't the General just send your unit in. Why pull me in now?" Sam asked.

"You were in our unit when we hunted him. You know him better than any of us." Andrew explained.

"Only because I spent so much time looking down my scope at the man and never given the all clear to blow his head off." Sam sad irritatedly.

"Which is precisely why the General wants you in on it now."

"Andy, I have a wife now, a baby girl, another baby on the way. I can't leave now! Jules needs me to be around!" Sam argued.

"You don't have a choice Sam. According to the Justice League protocol you have been recalled to full active duty effective immediately." Andy explained. "You know when you joined the Army that if needed you could be recalled."

"Yeah, if they needed to perform a _draft!_ I am _not_ at my Father's beck and call!" Sam's voice was rising with his anger.

"When you joined JTF2 they amended the recall section of your contract just like they do with everyone else. You know this! It clearly states that in the instance where a previously discharged service member has knowledge imperative to an active mission, said service member would be recalled to full active duty for the duration of said mission. Failure to do so will result in a court marshal and imprisonment for a duration of time to be determined by a committee of superior officers." Andy reminded Sam of the one clause they all feared, the 'we can call you back anytime we want to, all we have to do is prove that you're necessary for this mission, and if you don't comply we'll just send you to jail' clause.

"There _has_ to be another way!" Sam said as he sank into a chair, feeling defeated. He had never imagined that he would be forced to go back, not after what had happened with Matt.

"There isn't. You, me, and Cole... we're all that's left of the unit that tracked Akbar down in the first place. We know where and how he works. Besides, don't you want to get him after..."

"Of course I do. Just not at the expense of my family." Sam interrupted his former commanding officer.

"I'm sorry Sam. If there was any way around this you know I'd take it." Andy sank to the chair next to Sam.

"I know. Is there a way I can weasel in some conditions?" Sam asked after a moment of silence.

"Depends on what they are. I'm sure I can at least get a couple of concessions out of the General. Especially if you're going to go willingly instead of kicking and screaming."

"Oh, me giving conditions _is_ me kicking and screaming! Make sure he knows that."

Sam and Andy both laughed at that. Sam was right, anything other than immediately following an order was the equivalent of kicking and screaming for the younger Braddock.

"Name your terms sir." Andy smirked at the glare Sam sent his way.

"I finish the next two days with Team Two. They go on a three day rotation then and can start looking for my replacement." Sam stated.

"Done. Second?" Andy knew Sam would have more than one condition for the General to stew over.

"We train here, at the SRU. The SRU Teams will welcome a challenge on the course and they have a great range." Sam decided. "You have rookies, and we haven't worked together in years. We need to learn how to work as a unit and we can do that here."

"I'll have to talk to Holleran but I'm sure something can be worked out." Andy agreed. He knew the Unit was rough around the edges and Sam was right, they could train here just as easily as they could at the base. "Your third condition?"

"I am to be back home before Sadie's first birthday!" Sam stated, locking eyes with Andy. "Jules will be due around that time and I refuse to miss not only my daughter's birthday but the birth of my child."

"You know I can't guarantee that." Andy whispered.

"The General can make it happen!"

"I'll see what I can do." Andy knew that the chances of them making it home in time was pretty good based on their intel. But he also knew how dangerous it was to get someone's hopes up.

"I need to speak with my wife now."

"I'll leave for now. I'll come back tomorrow to speak with Holleran." Andy stood and headed towards the door. "I really am sorry Sam."

With that Andy raised the door to the briefing room and walked out. He noticed that Jules immediately went to Sam once the door was raised and he couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face. He was glad Braddock had found someone. It would do him good while they were gone to have someone to look forward to coming home to.

* * *

"What's going on Sam?" Jules asked as she sank to a chair beside her husband.

Sam was sitting with his elbows on the table and his head in his hands. He still had no idea how he was going to break the news to Jules. She would be devastated.

"Samuel Braddock, you tell me right now what's going on!" Jules demanded, noting his hesitation.

"I've been recalled to full active duty, effective in two days." Sam finally admitted with a sigh. He slowly turned his head to look at Jules and noted that for once she was wordless.

"What?" Jules finally whispered.

"Do you remember me telling you about that clause in my contract? The one that said they could recall me if the situation demanded it?" Sam asked as he turned his whole body to face Jules.

"You said it would never happen." Jules locked her gaze with Sam's. "You promised me that there was no way it would happen!"

"I'm sorry Jules. I never thought..." Sam stood and walked to the window and looked out, swallowing his emotions.

"What are we going to do Sam?"

"I have to go. I don't have a choice. If I don't I'll be sent to prison." Sam turned.

"I can't lose you Sam." Jules wrapped her arms around Sam and buried her head in his chest.

"You're not going to lose me Jules. I have you, Sadie, and the baby to come home to. That alone will keep me fighting every single day to come back to you!" Sam promised.

"We have to tell everyone." Jules finally said after a few minutes as she pulled away from Sam's embrace and wiped the tears from her eyes.

Sam simply nodded in agreement. He waited until she finally had her emotions under control before he looked up. Both Teams One and Two were waiting by Winnie's desk, watching them.

"We need to tell you something." Sam said to the Teams as he led Jules to the nearest chair.

"What's going on Sam?" Spike asked as he took a seat next to Jules. "What's the Justice League Protocol?"

"Let me just start at the beginning so you all get the whole picture." Sam moved to the front of the room where both Teams could easily see and hear him. He waited for all eyes to be on him before he began.

"When I joined the military I signed a contract. In that contract was a clause that said if the need arose for a draft I could be recalled to full active duty. The only time this would happen is if the regular military, and the reserves, were not enough to deal with the situation. Those of us who have been discharged from the military could be recalled for up to five years after our discharge." Sam explained.

"But there is nothing going on to warrant that." Ed stated. He knew they were at war, but they still had more men and women in the reserves than they were deploying. There was no reason why Sam would need to be recalled at this time.

"When I joined JTF2 they did an addendum to that clause." Sam continued, ignoring Ed's comment for the moment. "Due to the time and money put into training, and the fact that Special Forces have skills and knowledge that most soldiers don't have, they change the clause for all JTF2. We can be recalled for up to ten years after we are discharged. However, the criteria for warranting a recall are different."

"How?" Leah asked curiously.

"They way they word it is really confusing so let me just give you an example." Sam took a deep breath. Telling his Team, his family, was harder than he could have imagined. "When I was in JTF2 there was one man that we hunted for over a year. We gathered intel, followed him, there were so many times I had him in my scope that I could have ended him, but was never given the order. My unit spent so much time following him around and gathering information that we could tell you his favorite brand of toilet paper."

Spike couldn't help but laugh at what Sam knew about this man. But he quickly sobered when he realized how much time that meant Sam spent following the man and how close he had had to come to him. He had a bad feeling that he knew where Sam was going with this.

"When I was discharged our intel said that the man had been killed by a roadside bomb that my unit planted." Sam went on. He hadn't missed the realization in Spike's eyes and knew that his friend was coming to the correct conclusion on why he had to go back to the Army. "It was just recently discovered that the man survived and is now bolstering his forces. Knowing him, that means he is starting to put together a plan for an attack, a large one."

"This is why they're recalling you isn't it? To deal with him?" Rollie asked.

"Yes. Captain Williams was my unit's CO. He, myself, and one other man are the only one's left from that mission. We know this terrorist better than anyone else. They want him caught before something happens." Sam answered.

"So basically what your saying is that since you and two other men know him so well the Army is pulling you back to active duty to deal with him. Why can't they just send another unit it?" Frank, Team Two's tech, asked.

"Bringing another unit up to speed could take months." Sam explained. "If I rejoin Andy's unit then we only have to take time to train as a unit, we don't have to learn all the little things about our target that are necessary to find him. It's faster this way."

"So, what happens next?" Rollie asked.

"I've told them that I won't leave the SRU until Team Two hits their three day off rotation. I'm with you for two more shifts. We do need to find this guy, but forty eight hours won't hurt. It'll give Andy the time he needs to get everything squared away." Sam answered. "Once my last shift is done the Unit will start training, here. Andy's going to speak with Holleran to clear it but it would be beneficial to work with the Teams that aren't on Hot Calls, for both sides. We'll utilize all the resources here, train on the course against the SRU, and it will give you all some new and interesting training time too."

"How long will you train here?" Leah asked curiously.

"Probably no more than a couple of weeks. We'll spend most of our time here, training." Sam answered as he placed a gentle hand on Jules' shoulder. "Once we're ready we deploy to hunt this guy down and neutralize the threat."

Silence reigned in the briefing room for several minutes as everyone took time to digest all the information that Sam had just thrown at them. Neither Team wanted to see Sam go, he was like family to all of them. But, they also knew that the only reason he was going was because he had no choice. It was either join the Unit, or go to jail.

"So I have to know." Spike spoke up after a few minutes. "What did he mean by Justice League Protocol?"

"You would catch that wouldn't you?" Sam laughed as he made eye contact with his friend. "It's code for the recall protocol."

"By why the Justice League. Why not just call it the Recall Protocol?" Spike _had_ to know the answer to this. It would bug him, as a geek, until he knew the answer.

"When we became a Unit we had to agree on a name for the protocol that was unique to our us. This would also help us know what mission we were being recalled for. One of the guys in our unit was a huge comic book fan and he loved the Justice League so we gave that name to our protocol."

"What else did he name after the Justice League?" Spike asked, now even more curious.

"That you will have to wait and see Spike." Sam laughed. He couldn't help it, the sad puppy dog look on Spike's face was priceless.

The Team's remained in the briefing room for almost another hour talking, asking Sam questions, and figuring out a game plan for the next two days. It was decided that Jules would get the rest of today off to spend with Sam. Both Team's still had jobs to do though so both Sam and Jules would return to their Team for shift the next day. As Team One was called away for a Hot Call the Braddock's left to pick up their daughter and go home. Since family time was now limited both wanted to spend as much time together as possible. It was going to be a very short time before Sam would have to leave and Jules wanted every possible minute with him before he had to go.

Jules was _not_ looking forward to Sam going off to war!


	4. Ride Along

_**Two Days Later** _

"Well, that should be the last Hot Call for today." Rollie commented as Team Two finished the debrief. "We only have about thirty minutes left so let's repack the trucks before we head out."

"Copy that." Was echoed from each member of Team Two.

Sam stood with his Team as they were dismissed from debrief and looked around the Barn. This was his last day with the SRU before he was officially a soldier once again. He was going to miss this place and he wished there was a way to stay here instead of going back to the desert.

"Braddock!" Captain Williams called as he stopped at Winnie's desk, he was in civilian clothes and had four other men with him.

"Williams. Welcome back to the SRU." Sam stepped forward and shook the man's hand.

"How long do you have left on shift?" Williams asked.

"About thirty minutes. Cole, nice to see you again!" Sam shook the man's hand and was pulled into a hug.

"Wish it was under better circumstances." Master Corporal Nathan Cole commented with a sad smile.

"Yeah man, me too."

"This is the rest of the Team. Sargent Adams, Corporal Baird, and Private Jackson." Williams pointed to each of his men as he introduced them. "Guys, this is Sam Braddock, new addition to our Unit."

The conversation ground to a halt before the Unit could say anything else to one another.

"Team One, Hot Call!" Winnie called as she set of the alarm in the building. Team's One and Two quickly gathered around the dispatcher's desk along with Greg who had been chatting with Ed.

"What do we have Winnie?" Ed asked as he leaned on Winnie's desk.

"We have a call from the neighbor of Army Captain Jacob Sanders. She says that she saw his sixteen year old son enter the house with a handgun and moments later she heard shouting." Winnie explained as Team's One and Two as well as the JTF2 until listened.

Greg and Ed met each other's eyes, each knowing what the other was thinking.

"Ed?" Sam asked. He knew if this was a military family then he was the best person to negotiate.

"Rollie, mind if Sam ride's along?" Ed asked as he looked to his fellow Sergeant.

"Fine with me." Rollie answered with a hint of a smile.

"Can we ride along as well? See what Sam's been up to?" Andrew asked. He was beyond curious what Sam had been doing the last few years. He figured now was as good of a time as any to find out.

"We can take a couple of trucks. They can ride with us and we will supervise." Frank from Team Two offered.

"Fine. No weapons and they stay with the truck." Ed said as he pointed to Frank, Team One already running out the door.

"We'll get you guys some comms too so you can listen in." Eric grinned as he and Frank let the JTF2 guys to the garage and into the trucks. They pulled out moments after Team One who had Greg and Sam with them.

"Winnie, I need all the information we can get on Captain Sanders and his son." Ed called as they pulled up to the Captain's residence.

"Copy that Ed."

"Why do they need that information? Isn't it private?" Private Jackson asked curiously.

"It helps the Team identify what could have set the kid off and how best to negotiate them to a peaceful conclusion." Frank answered as he and Eric from Team Two gathered around the trucks with the Unit guys.

"Spike." Ed called into the comms again as he looked at the house.

"Pulling up the floor plan for the house." Spike called back, always half a step ahead of Ed on anything technical.

"I'm sure we don't have to explain that one to you guys." Eric smirked. He received a glare from two of the Unit guys in response.

"Ed, I have information on Captain Sanders." Winnie called over the comms.

"Go ahead Winnie."

"He is a doctor in the Army. He is set to deploy in eight days." Winnie explained. "Son's name is Tyler."

"Thank you Winnie." Ed acknowledged the news before turning to his Team. "Sam, you're lead negotiator. Jules, find a sierra position. Spike?"

"Floor plans to your PDA's now." Spike called as he jumped out of the truck.

"Good. You and Alex cover Sam and Greg. Everyone else on me." Ed called as the Team moved towards the house."

"You ready for this Sam?" Greg asked as he placed a hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Connect, Respect, and Protect." Sam answered.

"Copy that. Let's go." Greg, Spike, Alex, and Sam moved to the front door that the son had left open and slowly made their way inside.

"What's a Sierra position?" Master Corporal Cole asked as he turned to Frank.

"It's a sniper perch." Frank answered with a smirk. "Usually it's Sam in the Sierra position but he's the best for lead negotiator on this one."

"Why's that?" Private Jackson asked.

"Because Sam has a military background. Both as the one being deployed, and as the son left behind when the General was gone." Master Corporal Cole answered softly as he watched the house where his friend had disappeared.

Sam made his way silently through the house to the den where the Sander's were being held at gunpoint by their son. He flattened himself against the wall after getting an initial look at the room and took a deep breath.

"You can do this Sam. I'll be here for you every step of the way." Greg whispered as he placed a hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Aplha Team in position." Ed called into the comms. He and Mark were in position at the other entrance to the room.

"In position." Spike called as he and Alex stopped on either side of the doorway to the den.

"I have the solution." Jules called from her perch. She had a shot lined up through the window in the room from the roof of a neighbors shed.

"Tyler, my name is Sam Braddock. I'm with the Police Strategic Response Unit." Sam called as he moved partway into the doorway. "I was wondering if we could talk about what's going on here today."

"Why should I talk to you? You don't understand!" Tyler yelled as he glanced at the door where Sam stood.

"Tyler, I want to understand. Why don't you tell me why you're pointing a gun at your dad." Sam commented.

"If we know that Captain Sanders is being deployed soon wouldn't the reason his son is holding him hostage have something to do with that?" Corporal Baird asked as they listened to the negotiation on the comms.

"Most likely. But, our first job is to connect with the subject. Even if _we_ know why they are doing something it's best to get them talking and have them tell you themselves. It builds the necessary connection." Eric answered.

"He's leaving again! He'd rather go _there_ than be here, with his family!" Tyler said angrily as he waved the gun at his father. "You wouldn't understand!"

"Actually I do understand. My dad's a general. Growing up he was gone more than he was home." Sam told the teen.

"So you know what it's like. He leaves for years at a time and as soon as he finally comes home he wants to leave _again_." Tyler turned slightly to look at Sam, but kept the gun firmly pointed at his father. "What did I ever do to make him not want to stay home with me? Am I that much of a disgrace as a son?"

"No Tyler, you're not a disgrace. Your father loves you very much, but he also has a job to do. He can't tell his superior officer no when he is told to go. That's not how the Army works." Sam said steadily.

"But he could quit! His obligation to the Army was over last year and yet he decided he wanted to stay in, to keep going over there, to stay in a war zone rather than here with his family!" Tyler took in a deep, shaky breath. "He doesn't even miss us when he's over there!"

"Tyler, do you really think that's true?" Sam asked cautiously.

"Why wouldn't it be. If he thought about us he would realize how much we need him here. How hard it is when he's gone. You understand that. You know what it's like to worry every day that something's going to happen and he's not going to come home alive. You know what it's like to listen to your mother cry herself to sleep every night because she misses him so much. You know what it feels like every time you see the Canadian flag laid over a coffin, how you dread the day that it could be _your_ dad inside the box instead of someone elses." Sam noticed a tear on Tyler's cheek and his heart broke for the teen. "If he really understood that he wouldn't go!"

"Sam, you need to slow this down." Greg cautioned as he saw the signs that the subject was escalating.

"You're right. I do know what it's like. I know how hard it can be to be the one to stay home. But I also know what it's like to be the one that goes too." Sam said softly, just loud enough to where Tyler could hear him but not too loudly as to cause him to escalate.

"How? How could you know? It's not like you were in the Army or anything!" Tyler spat back in disgust.

"Actually I was. I was in the Army for several years. Deployed to Afghanistan twice." Sam told the young man.

"Did you have a family?" Tyler asked, lowering the gun a fraction.

"That time it was just my mom, dad, and little sister." Sam answered honestly.

"Then you can't understand what it's like to leave a wife and son behind. I knew you wouldn't understand." Tyler raised the gun and leveled it at his father's head.

"Sam, he's escalating. Bring him back down to yellow." Greg cautioned.

"That's not entirely true either Tyler." Sam took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them he looked past Tyler and out the window to where his sexy sniper chic was perched on the roof of a shed next door with sniper rifle in hand. "You see, I was just ordered back to the Army, after being out for five years. Last year I got married to a beautiful, amazing woman. Three months ago we had a little girl, and two days ago I found out that I'm going to be a dad again. So I know what it's like to be the one with the family that has to go."

Sam took a step towards the teen.

"Sam, stay behind cover." Ed warned as Sam stepped into the doorway completely and took a step towards the subject.

"I knew that from the moment that I was given the order to go back that I was going to spend every moment that I'm away missing my family. I know that I'm going to spend every night staring at a picture of my wife, and my daughter, and wishing that I was home to tuck my little girl into bed at night." Sam took another step, ignoring the warning calls reaching his ears through the comms.

"Then why are you going? If you're going to miss your family so much why do you go?" Tyler asked, the gun lowering a bit once again.

"Because it's my job." Sam answered.

"Not good enough." Tyler glared at Sam.

"But that's not the only reason." Sam continued, not acknowledging Tyler's words. "I go because there are men and women that depend on me. My job..." Sam shook his head and gave a small chuckle. "Well, my job sucks. But if I didn't do _my_ job, then there are a lot of men and women, mom's and dad's, that might not come home to their sons and daughters."

"What's your job?" Tyler asked curiously.

"I'm in Special Forces." Sam answered. "My Unit, the one I'm going back to, we have one goal. We need to find _one_ man who will do horrible things to a lot people if he isn't stopped. But you know what?" Sam paused for a moment to make sure that Tyler was listening.

"What?" Tyler finally asked.

"I can't do my job without people like your dad being over there too. Your dad's a doctor right?" Sam asked. He waited for a nod of acknowledgement from Tyler before moving on. "You see, guys like me, special forces guys, we tend to get hurt a lot. It's just how our job goes. We rely on people like your dad to be there when that happens. Without doctors over there to patch us up when things don't go well there would be a lot more flag draped coffins coming back here. There would be a much bigger chance that I won't come home to my daughter Sadie. We need guys like your dad Tyler."

Everyone stood completely silent as Sam's words sank in. Greg could see the moment things shifted in Tyler as his gaze softened and the gun lowered to where it was pointed at the ground.

"Your dad doesn't want to leave you Tyler. But he know that people are counting on him." Sam took another step into the room. "The question is will you put the gun down and give him a chance to be there when people need him? Or are you going to be selfish enough to keep him here with you when there are men and women, moms and dads, who will need saving?"

"You really miss us when you're gone?" Tyler asked as he met his dad's eyes.

"Every minute of every day." Captain Sanders answered with tears streaming down his face. "Knowing that you and your mom are here waiting for me is what gets me through those long days and even longer nights."

"I wish you didn't have to go." Tyler whispered as he lowered the gun to his side.

"I wish I didn't have to go, but Officer Braddock is right. People need me over there. I work really hard to help other kid's moms and dads come home, just like I know you want me to come home."

"Promise you'll come back!" Tyler pleaded.

"I promise that I will do everything I can, everyday, to come home to you son." Captain Sanders walked up to his son and pulled him into a tight embrace. The gun clattered to the floor and Ed and Mark entered the room to secure the weapon.

"Good job Sam." Greg stepped forward and patted the young officer on the back.

Several minutes later Tyler Sanders was in a squad car to go downtown. Sam was standing with Team One, wrapping things up, when Captain Sanders walked up to him.

"Officer Braddock?"

"Yes sir?" Sam turned to face the Army officer, suppressing the urge to salute a superior officer.

"Thank you, for listening to my son and connecting with him on a level that I never could." Captain Sanders wiped a tear from his eyes. "I never would have know how to get through to him."

"It's just as hard for a son to see his dad go off to war as it is to be the one going. He just needed to know that he wasn't alone." Sam commented.

"Were you really told you have to go back?" Sanders asked curiously. "If you've been out for five years you should be a free man."

"JTF2's recall period is ten years sir." Sam explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that son. Where are you headed?" Sanders asked.

"Afghanistan."

"I'm deploying there next week." Sanders said sadly. "I sincerely hope I don't see you over there young man."

"I hope so too sir." Sam agreed whole heartedly. He hated hospitals!

"Thank you officer." Sander's reached out a hand to Sam and the men shook.

"That was a good job Sam." Ed slapped the younger officer on the back as the teen's father walked away. "What do you say we all head to the Goose for a beer after debrief?"

"I can't." Sam answered as he turned to face his SRU family. "The Unit officially needs to start training. We're hitting the obstacle course as soon as we get back then going through the kill house before I head home for the night."

"Okay." Ed nodded his head as he thought. "Just make sure you make time for a round before you head out. That's an order."

"Yes sir!" Sam smiled at his former Team Leader.

"Okay boys and girls. Let's head back to the barn so these guys can play with their toys!" Ed called as he led the way to the trucks. The drive back was filled with laughter as the SRU Team decided to share some funny stories of Sam with his JTF2 Unit. Especially the coffee run to Timmy's on Sam's first day in the cool pants.

Sam groaned even as he smiled in the seat next to Jules, her hand in his. This was going to be a long couple of weeks with his two teams together. He had a feeling that more embarrassing stories were going to get out than he would like. Unfortunately, there would be nothing he could do to stop them!

Sam knew he was doomed!


	5. Shooting Range

"That was pretty cool work Sam." Cole commented as the group walked into the Barn after the Hot Call. "I never knew you could talk that much!"

Sam glared at his friend. Cole was probably right, when they worked together there weren't many times that a lot of words were necessary. When they were in the field Sam was either in a perch, or silence was absolutely necessary. The only time they really talked was when they returned to their tents, but even then there wasn't much talking as they wanted to get as much sleep as possible before the next mission.

"Well, you know, being a civilian changes a person." Sam smiled. "Besides, If I didn't learn to talk they'd have kicked me off the Team a long time ago. Here we talk first, shoot later. Complete opposite of the Army where we shoot first and don't ask questions."

"Well, regardless, it was good work." Williams came up on his other side and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.

Team One, with Sam and Greg, moved to the briefing room to wrap up the call and spend a few moments with Sam before he officially transitioned to the JTF2 unit.

"You ready to get down to training now Sam?" Alex, one of Team One's rookies, asked curiously.

"If it didn't mean I'd be deploying soon then the answer would be yes." Sam answered as he leaned back in his chair, Jule's hand in his. "I loved working with Cole and Williams, I just wish it wasn't in the Army again."

"I hear ya. We're going to miss you around here." Ed leaned forward and clasped his hands on the table. "We promise to take care of Jules, Sadie, and the baby while you're gone."

"Thanks guys. That means a lot to me." Sam looked to each of the members of Team One. He was going to miss this family.

"That's what family is for." Spike said from his place across the table from Sam. He was _not_ looking forward to Sam deploying. He wouldn't have his brother around to keep him out of trouble.

"Sam, we have a delivery." Williams called from where the Unit was chatting with Winnie.

Everyone in the Briefing Room looked up and saw half a dozen soldiers walking towards them, hands full with bags.

"You can bring those in here." Ed called as the Team rose to make way.

"Is this our gear?" Sam asked as the soldiers walked by.

"Yeah. This one's yours." Cole handed Sam a duffel with a sad smile. "Most of it should be in there."

Sam set the bag on the table and took a deep breath. He felt Jules at his side and he looked to her. He knew that once he opened this bag there was no going back and he still wasn't ready for it.

Jules could see the hesitation in Sam. This was the last thing in the world that he ever wanted to do and yet here he was, about to don his Army uniform and return to the life that had been hell for him. She placed a gentle hand on his back before reaching for the bag. Maybe if she helped ease him back into the world of a soldier the transition wouldn't be so difficult and he could come home sooner.

"Here, let me do the honors." Jules whispered with a small smile.

All of Team One, and the members of Team Two that were still at the barn watched as Jules slowly unzipped the bag and looked inside. She smiled. Everyone knew that neither Jules or Sam wanted this for him, so why was she smiling?

"I believe this is yours." Jules pulled out the top to Sam's Army uniform and held it up for him to see.

"Williams, are you sure they sent the right stuff?" Sam asked as he looked at the uniform. It wasn't right.

"Is your name on it?" Williams asked with a huge grin on his face. He noted that Cole wore a matching smile.

"Yes, but the rank is wrong." Sam looked to his CO.

"No it's not. They decided to give you a promotion upon your return to JTF2." Williams knew this wasn't much, considering what Sam was giving up to come back, but he hoped the change in rank would help ease the burden for his family while he was away. "Master Corporal Samuel Braddock, you have officially been promoted to Sergeant Samuel Braddock."

" _This_ I was not expecting." Sam admitted as Jules pulled more of his gear out for him to see.

Cole had been right, the bag contained everything he would need except weapons. He had uniforms, boots, even his kevlar was included in the bag.

"What do you say you go try all this on and make sure it fits." Jules suggested, needing a moment to get her own emotions back under control so she wouldn't lose it in front of her husband. She was trying to stay strong, for Sam, but she was quickly losing the battle as she stuffed his gear back in the bag so he could carry it to the locker room.

"Let's all change." Williams told the Unit. "Our arsenal should arrive shortly, then we can head out to train for a few hours."

"Why didn't it come with the gear?" Cole asked as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

"They had to wait on a certain someone's weapons to arrive. Apparently they were very particular about what they were going to issue Sam here." Williams smirked.

"Always getting special treatment." Cole grumbled around the smile on his face. Their old Unit had always teased Sam about his weapons, why would he stop now.

"You're just jealous that I have the biggest guns." Sam teased back, allowing a faint smile to cross his face. He may not like the mission, or that he was being forced back into the Army, but that didn't mean that he couldn't joke around with his friends. It might might the coming months a little easier on him.

The Unit made their way into the corner of the locker room that they had been told they could use for the next couple of weeks. They quickly changed into their uniforms and headed back out to the heart of the Barn.

Sam refused to look in the mirror. He knew that once he did it would all be real, there would be no going back. He was still pissed that his father had found a way to pull him back into the Army. In fact, Sam had a feeling that the mission _could_ have been accomplished without him. He wouldn't know for sure, however, until they were briefed tomorrow. Sam hoped that it wouldn't be the General providing the briefing, but he also knew that when it came to him and the military his dad was all over his career. There was no doubt that General Braddock would be arriving to brief the Unit.

Jules looked up as the JTF2 Unit rounded the corner from the locker room, her breath caught in her throat and her heart skipped a beat as Sam came into view.

"Wow Braddock!" Jules breathed.

"Is it that bad?" Sam asked as he stood in front of Jules.

"Um...no. Not bad necessarily." Jules stammered, unable to take her eyes off of him.

"Then what's wrong Jules?" Sam asked, worry etched on his face as he placed a gentle hand on her arm.

"Nothing's _wrong_ Sam." Jules placed her hands on Sam's chest and looked into his blue eyes seductively. "You know, you look pretty hot in a uniform."

"Jules." Sam whispered huskily. He didn't know if he would be able to train today if she kept this up.

"Don't worry, I still like the cool pants better!" Jules smiled as she gently kissed his lips.

Sam wrapped his hands around Jules' waist and pulled her into him. Leaning down he kissed her again and she crushed herself to him more as she deepened the kiss. Right here, kissing his beautiful wife, he could almost forget that in just two weeks time he would have to leave her, Sadie, and his unborn baby behind to go back to the desert.

"Ahem!" Ed cleared his throat, a smile plastered on his face.

"Come on guys...get a room!" Spike whined, sounding disgusted.

"Oh, we already did Spike." Sam smirked as he pulled back reluctantly.

"Captain Williams, there's some men here to see you." Winnie called from the doorway where some soldiers stood next to her.

"Thank you Winnie." Williams offered her a smile of thanks.

"Sir, the weapons you requested." One of the privates spoke up as he gestured to the cases that he and the other privates held.

"Thank you private." Williams stepped forward to take some of the cases and Cole and Corporal Baird stepped up to help as well.

"Sam, those are yours." Cole gestured to one of the Privates.

Sam looked over towards the man that Williams indicated and couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. The Private had three cases in his hands, a small case which surely held his SIG Sauer, and a larger case slung across the private's back housing his sniper rifle.

"What do you say we stow our gear then head to the range." Cole suggested.

"We've cleared conference room two for you guys. Winnie will get you a key before day's end and you can use it for whatever you need while you're here." Ed told the group. Williams thanked him before the Unit gathered their things and moved everything except the weapons to the conference room.

Once the gear was stored each man geared up with their weapons and headed to the gun range for some target practice.

"Okay men. First clip is to make sure your weapons work properly. Second clip we'll see who has the tightest groupings." Williams smiled as his Unit lined up on the range. Greg, Ed, Jules, Spike, Leah, and Rollie stood nearby to watch.

There was a round of "Roger" and one "Copy" in acknowledgement as the other five men prepped their weapons to fire.

"Fire!" Williams called moments later and within seconds all the clips were emptied.

"Not one of them missed the target." Spike said in awe. "Their response time was lightning fast too."

"Now we know where Sam get's it from." Leah commented with a smile.

"Okay men. Reload and prepare to fire. Time to see who has the tightest groupings." Williams called as he reloaded his weapon.

Once again shots rang out at the signal from the Captain. Jules couldn't help the face splitting grin on her face as she watched. She already knew who was going to take the cake on this round, and she was not disappointed. Where most of the men had managed a tight grouping on the target's head, Sam had a large hole from where the bullets made impact in the same spot each time.

"Showoff." Corporal Baird muttered as he noticed the exactness of Sam's shots.

"You're a pretty good shot Sergeant." Private Jackson commented as he looked at Sam's target in awe.

"I would hope so Private. He's our new sniper." Master Corporal Cole laughed as he slapped Sam on the shoulder. "If you're impressed with that then wait until you see what he can do with his rifle."

Private Jackson had been stunned with the deadly accuracy of the Sergeant standing next to him. He had thought he was a good shot, until he met Braddock. As he noted how Sam responded to the teasing and compliments he realized that this man was someone to look up to. Braddock didn't let the praise go to his head and he let the teasing roll off his back. Private Jackson decided, right then and there, to learn as much from this man as he could, and since he was one of the two rookies of the Unit he knew he had a lot to learn.

"When do we get to see that?" Corporal Baird asked. He had seen Braddock shoot a SIG with deadly accuracy, but that didn't mean anything on the long range. He still wasn't convinced that the General wasn't playing favorites with his son, and wouldn't be until he was fully confident in the man's abilities to protect their backs. He had heard the rumors, that he had killed his own Teammate. He wouldn't trust this man easily.

"Not until tomorrow Corporal." Williams answered as he glared at the man. He didn't like the tone of voice the Corporal was using. He made a mental note to keep an eye on Baird, he didn't want trouble in his Unit. _Hopefully they will all trust Sam more once they see what he can_ really _do._ He thought. "He'll have to calibrate the sights with the rifle and shoot a few rounds to get used to it."

"I look forward to that." Private Jackson commented with a grin.

"For now we'll stow our weapons and go for a run. Meet back out here in five minutes." Williams ordered.

The Unit men quickly returned their weapons to conference room two and grabbed some water before heading outside for a run. Sam knew that they would be out for probably an hour. He hoped that after that he could go home to his wife and baby girl. The next couple weeks were going to be extremely busy and he wasn't looking forwards to the fact that he wouldn't have as much time with his family.

"Do you think he's going to be okay?" Jules asked as Team One watched the Unit take off for their run.

"He's going to be fine Jules. He's Samtastic!" Spike said cheerily, trying to lift her mood. "That reminds me. We still don't know what his Justice League handle is!"

Everyone laughed as they turned to go back into the Barn. It was time to clean up and head home. They had coordinated to meet with the Unit and help run them through the Kill House tomorrow morning, even though it was the start of their three day off rotation. They were all looking forward to watching the JTF2 guys in action, and hopefully learn from them.


	6. Kill House

He took a deep breath, holding it for a moment on the inhale before slowly letting it out. He could hear his heart beating steadily in his ears. It sounded like a drum on this quiet Canadian morning. As he exhaled he could see his breath on the air around him. He adjusted his sights once again, took a slow breath, and held it. In between heartbeats he squeezed the trigger and the weapon gave a loud report as the round hurtled down the range, nicking the target.

Sam smiled. It had been almost six years since he had fired this kind of rifle. It felt right in his hands, despite the circumstances.

"You missed."

"Just zeroing my weapon." Sam smiled. He hadn't been expecting Ed to come out this early. In fact, he wasn't expecting anyone except Team Three who was on shift to be around for another hour or so.

Sam hadn't been able to sleep much last night. Being back in the Army uniform yesterday had brought back nightmares that he hadn't had in a couple of years so he had slipped out of bed early this morning. After going for a run he left a note for Jules, kissed his baby girl goodbye, and slipped out to the Barn. He figured now was as good a time as any to calibrate his rifle.

"Want some help?" Ed asked, smiling down at his friend. He hadn't been surprised to find Sam out here this early. He also knew that calibrating one's rifle went quicker with a second set of eyes.

"Sure." Sam shifted his position after making a notation on a pad of paper next to him. He would be keeping track of his adjustments to make his job in the field easier later on.

Ed joined Sam on the ground and lifted the binoculars, looking down the range to the target Sam was using. It wasn't even half the distance that he knew Sam could shoot accurately at, but it was a good start with a new weapon.

The two worked easily together. Ed would call the range to the target. Sam would take a shot. Ed would tell him where it hit the target. They would discuss the adjustments. Then they would repeat the process. They had been working easily together for about twenty minutes when they both heard another set of footsteps approaching them on the long range.

"Morning Private." Sam called, without ever looking away from his scope. He let off another shot before Private Jackson responded.

"Morning Sergeant." Private Jackson greeted. Later he'd ask how Sam knew it was him without even looking.

"Please, call me Sam for now." Sam requested. Being called Sergeant or Sarge just felt wrong after working with Team One.

"Yes sir. My first name's Leon by the way. Enjoying some target practice?" Jackson asked. Sam looked like a natural behind the scope.

"I'm calibrating my weapon. Learning what adjustments I need to make for what distances in order to hit my target." Sam explained before firing off another round. "You're here a bit early Leon."

"Yeah, couldn't sleep much last night." Leon admitted.

"Well, since you're here you wanna help Ed locate my shots?" Sam asked as he looked to the young Private and smiled. It seemed like the Private wanted to be friends, unlike the Corporal, and Sam was thankful.

"I'd be happy to." Leon smiled as he pulled out another set of binoculars and stood behind Sam and Ed.

The three worked well together for another twenty minutes. Leon was beyond impressed with Sam. He knew the man was a good shot yesterday from their time on the range and today was the same. If Sam missed a shot he would only need to make one adjustment before he would hit it dead on. Sam's calculations were fast and spot on. He knew that once they got to the field he would feel a better knowing that Sam had their backs at the other end of the scope.

"Looks like you haven't lost your touch Braddock." Williams finally commented from where he stood. He had been watching Sam, Ed, and Jackson for ten minutes now and was glad that the rookie and his sniper were getting along. Sam would make a good mentor, and Jackson seemed to have already taken to him.

"I should hope not." Jules piped up. She had just joined the men when Williams had made his comment. "He had Ed and I to compete with. His ego doesn't let him lose to us very often."

"You're a sniper too?" Cole asked as he looked Jules up and down.

"My sexy, sniper chick." Sam piped up between firing off two more rounds. "I think I'm good Ed. Thanks for helping out guys." He commented before reloading the weapon.

"What's your range?" Mark Johnson, one of Team One's snipers asked.

"Sixteen hundred meters." Sam answered as he settled in for a few more shots.

"A mile?" Baird piped up. He took the binoculars from Ed to see if Sam was accurate at that range. The longer the distance, the harder the shot. He wasn't a sniper, but he at least knew this fact. He was slightly surprised when Sam hit the target with a perfect head shot.

"What range are you going to?" Cole asked. He knew what Sam's record shot was and was curious if he could still make it.

"Our farthest target here is twenty four hundred meters out, right at a mile and a half." Sam answered as he lined up a shot on the next farthest target.

"Is that even possible?" Baird asked skeptically.

"More than possible. That's not even Sam's record." Williams answered as he glared at the back of Baird's head. _What is it going to take to earn his trust?_ He thought as he looked at his medic.

"We don't have a target at that range here." Sam commented quietly as he squeezed off another round.

As Sam fired off several more rounds, each at a target further away, the rest of Team One arrived and gathered around with the JTF2 Unit. Most of the SRU hadn't had the chance to _really_ see what Sam was capable of behind a rifle and were pleasantly surprised to see how deadly his accuracy was, even at a mile out.

Jules watched carefully as Sam fired off several more rounds. She was watching closely to see what his range was with the targets and as he approached the furthest target her gut clenched. She knew that Sam hadn't made a shot at one and a half miles since Matt and she worried how doing so again would affect him. She moved to where Ed had been sprawled out next to Sam and sat quietly next to him, making it look like she just wanted to sit and look through the scope in her hands, instead of what she was actually doing, offering her silent support to her husband.

Williams, Cole, Ed, and Spike all recognized what Jules was doing the moment she moved to sit next to Sam. They all knew the story about what had happened to Sam's best friend Matt, and they also knew he hadn't made a shot at that range since. All had been slightly concerned about what having to do so again would do to Sam and were thankful that Jules was there for him during the first shot.

When Sam reached the last target he had to take a second. He fiddled with his scope a bit longer than necessary, and his breathing and heart rate increased ever so slightly. When he looked down the scope at the target he saw Matt, a bullet hole in the center of his head. He had to close his eyes a moment and he took a deep breath, hoping no one noticed his hesitation. When he opened them again he only saw the target and he quickly sent the round down range, hoping he could keep his head clear for a few more moments.

Jules noticed Sam's hesitation. There is no way she could have missed it. She knew Sam so intimately, even when he is behind a scope, that nothing escaped her notice. As soon as the round left the barrel she placed a gentle hand on his back as she kept her eye on the scope she was holding. It was, unsurprisingly, a perfect shot once again.

"Good job Sam." Jules said quietly, not only to let him know he had hit the target, but also that she was proud of him for facing this demon head on. "Perfect shot once again."

"Does he ever miss?" Sergeant Adams asked with a bit of a laugh.

"Actually yes. Even though he'll never admit it to you." Spike piped up. "Our Samtastic is just that amazing."

"Samtastic huh?" Cole smiled as he looked at Williams. "Maybe we should change his handle."

"Nah, I still like ours better." Williams waggled his eyebrows as he smiled.

"By the way, what _is_ Sam's handle. I've been dying to know!" Spike asked as Sam stood and picked up his rifle.

"For that you're just going to have to wait and see." Sam commented as he squeezed Spike's shoulder.

"Right, well, since everyone's here lets gear up and hit the kill house. Ed, you have everything you need?" Williams asked as he walked next to Team One's Sergeant.

"Yes sir. We are all set and ready to go. We can be in position in thirty minutes if that'll give you guys enough time." Ed answered with a smirk. This was the reason he had come in so early. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about today's training and had gone over a hundred ideas in his head early this morning until he finally gave up and came in to the Barn.

"We'll see you there in twenty." Williams smirked.

Team One and the Unit all went to change into their uniforms. As Team One gathered their gear from the gun cage the Unit moved to the conference room to gear up and go over their plan of attack.

"Ed was kind enough to offer us blueprints to the kill house." Williams stated as the Unit gathered around the conference room table where the blueprints and a map of the SRU compound were laid out. "We have all been provided laser guns for this simulation. Our helmets and vests will light up and vibrate when hit and the location of the lights will tell us the location of impact. Shots to the arms or legs will just wound you, you won't be able to use the injured arm or leg for the remainder of the drill. Shots to the torso or head are immediately fatal and you are to lay down and play dead upon impact."

"For this drill we are taking out all targets. You've also been provided plastic knives that you will carry in place of your kbar. This is for slitting throats only." Williams continued. "Any questions?" He waited for a moment to give his Unit a chance to respond before continuing.

The guys leaned over the table and poured over the schematics before them. They determined that for this drill they would forgo the sniper position and take the kill house as one Unit. There would be ample time later on for them to train with a sniper position. It was eighteen minutes after the group headed inside that they were making their way back out to the training section of the SRU compound and preparing to start.

Rollie from Team Two was waiting for them. He would assist in playing referee and would tell the two teams when the drill was beginning. He was really looking forward to seeing these two teams go up against each other.

"You guys ready to go?" Rollie asked with a smirk. The big, bad JTF2 guys looked just as funny as the SRU guys did with the vests and laser sensors that they wore for the drill. He didn't know why they didn't just use regular paintball guns for the drill. He might have to ask Ed later.

"Just waiting for the word." Williams answered as he adjusted his headset. "Comms check."

Every man reported in and made sure that their comms units were ready to go.

"Begin in five, four, three...two...one...go!" Rollie sounded the horn which signaled the start of the drill and the Unit quickly sprinted off towards the building.

Captain Williams, Sergeant Adams, Master Corporal Cole and Corporal Baird each took one side of the kill house, plastering themselves against the wall so as not to be seen by anyone walking by the window. Sergeant Braddock and Private Jackson slung their weapons over their shoulder and climbed up the side of the building to the roof. Not an easy feat as the only thing available was a pipe that ran from the roof for drainage purposes. Once everyone was in place Williams gave the order and they breached the building.

Leah, Mark, and Alex were on the first floor of the kill house eagerly awaiting the JTF2 Unit. They had been looking forward to kicking Sam's butt today. All three of them were watching carefully out of the windows and eyeing the doorways for any sign of movement. They knew the Unit would be coming in silently, but none of them were prepared for how silently.

Sergeant Adams had just climbed through a window and paused in a doorway as he sensed movement. They all knew that there were six targets and he had just located his first. He waited for the target to move closer to the doorway before he shot a hand out and placed it over their mouth, cutting off a scream. He took the plastic kbar and drew it across the SRU officers neck as he smirked.

"One target down." Adams whispered into his comms as Mark glared at him, laying down on the floor.

Spike turned around at a slight sound from behind him. Mark had walked to the hallway to check for intruders but he hadn't come back yet. As he stepped towards the doorway he felt hands around his head and neck.

"Your neck has just been snapped." Williams whispered into the SRU officer's ear.

Spike wanted to argue. It wasn't fair! He sank to the floor and tried not to make a sound. They were all wearing their comms but were not allowed to make a sound, depending on the way they were taken out. Sadly with a broken neck he couldn't say a word. Spike hoped the rest of the Team was faring better against the Special Forces guys.

"One down." Williams said quietly into his comms, keeping the count going so the Unit would always know how many targets were left.

"Team One, status?" Ed called quietly into the comms. It was too quiet.

Suddenly Ed's vest vibrated and the light over his heart lit up. Someone had just shot him. He looked up and saw Jackson grinning at him as he turned to keep moving. _Damn, I didn't even hear them approaching._ Ed thought as he sat on the floor.

"One more target neutralized." Leon called quietly into his comms. He couldn't help the grin on his face. They were down to three targets left.

Downstairs Leah was carefully moving around. She, Alex, and Jules all responded to Ed's call for status updates but no one else had. Leah realized that they were probably already taken out. She carefully rounded the corner to move to the next room when her vest vibrated and lit up in three different places. She looked up and saw Captain Williams, Master Corporal Cole, and Corporal Baird all with their weapons pointed at her. She dramatically staggered back into the wall behind her and slid to the floor. It looked like the JTF2 guys were smirking at her.

"Two targets left." Cole stated. The three men spread out once again to ensure that the first floor was clear and to move to the second.

Alex was waiting patiently. He knew that most of his Team had been taken out and he was just glad he hadn't been the first to go. He and Jules had been watching each other's backs carefully, knowing that the Unit would appear at any moment. As he walked into one of the rooms and looked out the window he felt a presence behind him. Before he could turn around a knife was at his throat.

"Sorry but you're dead." Jackson whispered into his ear.

Alex rolled his eyes as he sat against the wall. He tilted his head to the side and stuck his tongue out. Jackson smirked and so did Sam who stood just a couple of feet behind him, trying not to laugh.

"Let's move. One target left." Sam tapped Jackson on the shoulder.

"Who's left you think?" Jackson whispered.

"I think it's Jules." Sam answered as they carefully moved through the upstairs. They had three rooms left to clear.

"Downstairs is clear. We're coming up." Williams informed the Unit. "Keep your eyes peeled. I hear this last one's sneaky."

It only took a few moments for the Unit to completely clear the upstairs of the kill house.

"Where is she?" Cole asked as they cleared the last room. "She wasn't downstairs anywhere. It's clear."

Rollie couldn't help but laugh. He was patched in to everyone's comms so he could keep tabs on what was going on, as well as the monitors displaying the inside of the house. As soon as Ed had been taken out Jules had climbed out the window onto the roof and was perched behind a box. From the sounds of it the Unit hadn't expected her to disappear.

As he watched the monitors four out of six of the unit went back to the first floor in search of Jules while Williams and Braddock stood for a moment, looking around.

"She's gotta be around here somewhere." Williams whispered. "You know her, where would she go?"

Sam looked around the room looking for any clue as to where his wife had disappeared to. He noticed Ed in the corner smirking at him.

"The roof." Sam realized. He looked out the window and noticed that the drain pipe ran right next to the window here. She could have easily snuck out as he and Jackson cleared the floor.

Williams laughed as Sam pulled himself out of the window and climbed up to the roof to where he could just barely look over the edge. He caught the faintest wisp of brown hair on the opposite side of the roof where Jules hid behind the box. He climbed back down through the window.

"She's on the other side of the roof. I can climb up over there and sneak up behind her." Sam explained as he quickly moved through the building.

"I'll climb up the drain pipe and and draw her fire. Braddock might need a distraction." Leon offered as the rest of the Unit rejoined them on the second floor, hearing the plan over the comms.

Sam leaned out of the window and looked up. There was no easy way to get to the roof on this side. There was only the one drain pipe on the other side of the building. He looked around him and noticed that one of the bricks had come lose not far from him. He reached out and wiggled it, wondering if it would come free. He smiled when it slipped out of the wall into his hand. He gently placed it on the windowsill so as not to make any noised and used the small hole in the wall to pull himself out the widow and swing up to where he could grab the ledge to the roof that had been just out of his reach.

Jackson peeked his head over the edge of the roof and smiled. Jules was looking his direction but hadn't seen him yet. Sam had just pulled himself over the ledge behind her and was sneaking up on her. She obviously had not heard him yet and he was surprised, Braddock was so close to her.

Jules saw just the tip of a head peeking over the side of the roof. She was well hidden so didn't think that she had been seen yet so decided to wait until they popped over the side of the roof. That particular place was the only good place to come up.

Rollie was trying so hard not to laugh. He had watched Sam figure out a way onto the roof and now he was just two feet from Jules, who was completely clueless as she was watching where Private Jackson was perched just over the edge of the roof.

"Has he got her yet?" Ed asked as he approached. Team One had left the kill house once Williams told them they were down to one person. The Team wanted to see how and if Sam would get the drop on Jules.

"Almost." Rollie laughed as he pointed at the screen.

"She's gonna be pissed she didn't realize he was there." Spike laughed as he also saw Sam moving in quietly behind his wife.

Sam took two more steps before he wrapped his arms around Jules.

Jules jumped and attempted to whirl around to punch whoever was holding her but their strong arms had a firm hold on her. Her weapon clattered to the ground as she wrestled with the man behind her.

Sam smiled as he pulled his plastic kbar and gently drew it across Jules' neck.

"Sorry baby, but I got you." Sam commented with a laugh before planting a kiss on her neck.

"Braddock!" Jules yelled as Sam finally let go of her. She spun to meet his gaze and saw laughter lighting up his blue eyes.

"Good to see I can still surprise you." Sam said as he dodged an attempt from Jules to punch him in the arm. He noticed that Jackson had climbed up the rest of the way to the roof and was now laughing not far away.

"You should have seen her face when you grabbed her." Leon laughed. At least until the woman turned her glare on him. "I'm just...gonna...go back down to the Unit now." He quickly backtracked and swung through the window where the rest of the Unit was waiting and laughing.

"Sorry I scared you." Sam whispered as he stood directly behind his wife.

"How did I not know you were there?" Jules asked as she turned to face Sam.

Sam simply shrugged his shoulder in response.

"At least I now know you can sneak up on someone so quietly." Jules breathed as she stepped up to Sam and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I still worry about you leaving."

"I know. I'll be fine. I have a great Unit to watch my back." Sam told her as he tucked some stray hair behind her ear.

"Braddock. We need to get going. It's time for our briefing." Williams called over the radio.

"I gotta go baby. Do you need help down?" Sam asked as the two made their way to where they could climb off the roof.

"Nope, I can do it." Jules said with a smile before swinging over the side and sliding down the drain pipe to the ground. Sam followed behind and landed silently next to her.

"Time to go see what General Braddock has to say." Williams commented as he and the Unit exited the kill house.

"The General?" Sam asked warily. He most certainly did _not_ want to see his father anytime soon.

"Yeah, sorry kid."

 _I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later._ Sam though at he followed the Unit to Conference Room two. He hated his father, more so now than before. It would take everything in him to maintain proper military decorum in his presence. He just hoped he had the self control to do so.


	7. Briefing

"Gentlemen, come in and take a seat." General Braddock greeted the Unit as they entered the Conference Room.

Sam closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before following the order, completely avoiding the General's gaze as he sat in the corner furthest away from the front of the room. Conveniently it was right next to where his rifle was sitting in it's case. He was sorely tempted to pull the weapon out and give it a thorough cleaning but he knew the General would not approve of that during the briefing.

Once the Unit was seated General Braddock closed and locked the doors before beginning.

"We are here today because JTF2 has received intel that Abdul Akbar is active again and building his forces." General Braddock started as he looked at each man in the room. He was irritated that Sam was not even looking at him, he was staring at the table instead. "He has been spotted in several locations around Afghanistan and is recruiting anyone and everyone he can get his hands on. He whisks them away for training at a facility that we have yet to locate. The reason I have initiated the Justice League recall protocol for Sergeant Braddock is because he was with this unit when we first hunted Akbar. His skills as a sniper will also be very necessary against this enemy."

General Braddock went on to share what intel they had received. Sam sat still and listened carefully to the information that had been shared. It sounded like Akbar, or Deathstroke as his unit had dubbed the man, was using a lot of his old facilities. He was also surprised at the amount of intel that had been gathered recently. It had taken the Unit years to gather anywhere close to this much information and that particular fact was bugging him. Finally, after over an hour and a half of listening Sam couldn't take it anymore.

"Sir, may I ask a question?" Sam asked as he shifted and sat straighter in his chair.

"Yes Sergeant?" General Braddock asked. He was surprised that there hadn't been any questions yet with the amount of information that he had shared. He _was_ surprised, however, that it was Sam asking.

"When did this information start coming in?" Sam asked, noting the hint of recognition on the faces of both Williams and Cole at the question. They had clearly caught on to what Sam had as well.

"Why do you ask?" General Braddock questioned, wondering if he could get away with not giving the answer.

"It took us three years to gather this much intel last time we hunted Akbar. How do you have so much information on him now if you've just started to receive the intel on him again." Cole asked, knowing full well why Sam was asking. "When did you find out he was alive?"

"We received news that Abdul Akbar was alive two years after Sargeant Braddock left the Army." General Braddock answered, his look daring any of them to say anything.

"You've known that Akbar has been alive for over _four_ years and you're _just now_ telling us about it?!" Williams asked as he leaned forward in his seat, the anger clearly evident in his voice even as he tried to control it.

"There were reasons." General Braddock stated, his tone of voice clearly conveying that there would be no more discussion on this matter.

For the first time since the briefing started Sam looked up and locked eyes with the General and the emotions evident in his son's blue eyes caused his breath to catch in his throat. Sam was clearly upset, hurt, and most of all angry. So very angry. Sam's eyes turned to blue fire as they bore into his own and for the first time in his life General Braddock almost, _almost_ , second guessed his decision.

"I need air." Sam said quietly as he stood, grabbed his rifle, and left the conference room.

* * *

Team One, Rollie from Team Two, Greg, and Wordy were all gathered in the gun cage cleaning up after their fun in the kill house with the JTF2 Unit. Greg and Wordy had arrived just after the Unit began their briefing so had joined their old Team and enjoyed hearing about their round in the kill house as they worked. They also discussed the get together that they wanted to have as a going away party for Sam before he deployed.

Just as they were discussing the menu for the party Jules and Ed stilled, causing everyone in the room to look at them curiously.

"What's wrong?" Wordy asked, noting the worried look on Ed's face.

"Shh, listen." Ed said as he raised his hand, indicating that everyone should be very still.

Jules heard the sound again and this time she was sure. Sam was shooting his rifle again.

"It's Sam." Jules breathed with a hint of a smile.

"I thought they were still briefing." Leah commented as the group exited the gun cage in search of the sniper.

As they rounded the corner the entire JTF2 Unit and General Braddock exited the briefing room. Jules could easily see the look on the faces of two of the men from Sam's Unit and she instantly became worried.

"Where's Sam?" Ed asked Williams, noting the look of rage coupled with concern in the man's eyes.

"We don't know. He left the briefing and disappeared." Williams answered. He noted the concern in the SRU officer's face and knew that this man cared for Sam as much as he and Cole did.

Winnie looked up at the gathered group as another shot rang out. It sounded like it was much closer than the shooting range and she was slightly concerned for Sam.

"Where would he go?" Cole asked, looking pleadingly at the SRU officers gathered.

"It sounds like he went to the roof. It's a good place to clear your head." Jules answered as she turned to head up the stairs.

"Jules." Ed placed a hand carefully on Jules' arm to stop her.

"Let me go Ed! Sam needs me." Jules attempted to pull her arm free but Ed held on tight.

"I think considering the circumstances it would be best if one of you went to speak with him." Williams commented before turning his gaze carefully to Sam's wife. "However, I think it best if it is not you Mrs. Braddock."

"Why not me?!" Jules argued angrily.

"Just trust me, please." Williams pleaded.

"Jules, you need to calm down. It's not good for the baby." Greg placed a comforting arm around Jules before leading her off to a quieter part of the Barn where they wouldn't be observed. He was shocked, yet relieved, when she let him lead her away.

"I'm going to talk to him." Ed stated as he turned to find his friend. He had no idea what had set Sam off but he hoped the fellow sniper would open up to him, and that he would be able to help Sam in some way.

As Ed exited the stairway onto the roof he easily found the source of concern for everyone below, well, except the General who simply looked pissed that his briefing had been interrupted. Ed could feel the rage rolling off Sam in waves. Ed took a couple of steps closer and noted that Sam was shooting targets at the gun range from his perch here on the roof. It was windy up here which made it a bit more of a challenge but Ed knew that if he looked down range Sam would be hitting his targets dead on.

He waited patiently. Ed knew that eventually Sam's rapid fire would slow, he would take a deep breath, and then Sam would be ready to talk. Until then he simply stood by, waiting for the moment when Sam would be ready to open up to him. Finally, after several minutes, and two full clips later, Sam paused and Ed could see the rise and fall of Sam's back as Sam drew in a deep breath.

"Four years." Sam said angrily after he took a deep breath. He had heard Ed come up to the roof but he was too wrapped up in his anger to talk. He was taking his anger out on the targets over a mile away as he tried to clear his head.

Ed tilted his head to the side and slid his hands in his pockets. He would wait until Sam asked a question, let him vent his frustration and anger as needed.

"Why did the General have to wait _four years_ to tell us Akbar was alive?" Sam asked as he rose from his perch and paced a few steps away.

"Akbar is the man you've been recalled to hunt down right?" Ed clarified. Sam met his eyes and he could tell he was right.

"My Unit thought we killed the man in a roadside bomb. We spent days perfecting the plan. We were sure he was dead!" Sam continued to pace. "The man is a menace to the entire world and I have _no clue_ why the General would wait so long, risk so much!"

"Maybe Akbar wasn't a threat until recently." Ed offered, knowing it was a lame excuse but needing to present all the possibilities for consideration.

"He has _always_ been a threat." Sam stilled, put his hands in his pockets and turned to look over the city. "He ambushed our unit and took three captive. He held them for _two months_ before were rescued them." Sam turned to look at Ed. "Two of our guys never even made it home due to their injuries." Sam whispered.

Ed looked closely at Sam, finally understanding why killing Akbar was so important.

"If we had been informed that Akbar was alive when the intel _first_ came in then there would be no reason to recall me back to active duty. We would have had enough time to pass the intel to one of the JTF2 Units over there and they could have dealt with him already." Sam grimaced in anger. "I wouldn't have to worry about leaving Jules, Sadie, and the baby. I would know that I would be here for the birth of my child." Sam took an unsteady breath . "I wouldn't have to worry about making Jules a widow and my children ending up fatherless."

"Sam, that's not going to happen." Ed stated sternly as he took a step towards Sam.

"How do you know? You can't guarantee that!" Sam yelled angrily.

"You're right, I can't guarantee that." Ed answered, keeping his tone soft and his voice even. "But I _do_ know that you have an amazing family to come home to. You have a reason to fight, a reason to fight _every day_ to leave the desert behind and come home." Ed took another step towards Sam and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"You have a family here that loves you and it doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing we will have a hand on your back like you've had your hand on ours. We will care for your family so you don't have to worry about them and you can concentrate on your mission. And no matter what happens we will be here for you when you come home!" Ed smiled softly as Sam locked his gaze with his. "Sam, you're like a brother to me, part of the family that I've chosen, and wouldn't have it any other way."

"Thanks Ed." Sam swallowed the tears that were threatening to fall. He knew that the Team had his back, that they would take care of his family while he was unable to do so himself, but if felt so much better hearing the words said aloud.

"Do you know why your father waited so long to send someone after Akbar?" Ed asked after a few moments of silence. Both men had turned to stare at the city before them, enjoying the solitude that the roof offered.

"First off, he's not my father. He's the General. No father would do to his son what the General's done to me." Sam stated matter of factly. He was still angry at the man for everything the General had put him through over the years. His anger towards the General would never go away. "Secondly, it's obvious to me. He wanted me back in the Army and this was one way to guarantee that it would happen. By waiting so long he left no other choice but to recall me. He's waited until there is an imminent threat to let anyone know Akbar is still alive. We're out of time to prep a different Unit."

The two men fell into silence then. Each wrapped up in his own thoughts. Sam was trying to lock away his emotions regarding the whole situation so he could focus on the mission ahead. Ed was thinking about Sam's anger towards the General and wondered what the man had done to his son to cause such hatred. He hoped that he never did anything to cause even a fraction of that anger in Clark. It would hurt too much.

* * *

The General was furious. He could not believe that his son had stormed out of a military briefing and simply disappeared. It didn't matter _what_ news the kid had just gotten, storming out was _not_ proper military decorum. The General determined that he would have to remind Samuel of what proper military conduct was, not to mention how one should act around his father. It had been a while since he had had to teach his son a lesson, that didn't mean he had forgotten how. He turned to leave as he reached for his phone to make a call. He knew just how to teach Samuel this lesson, and he was looking forward to it!

* * *

It had taken Greg several minutes to get Jules to calm down. She had been beyond furious. Not only was Sam upset, but they wouldn't even let her go to him. Greg had explained that Sam just needed someone to talk with, someone not as emotionally involved as Jules was. Whatever news had upset Sam was likely to be hard to take and he knew that giving Sam the time to work through whatever it was would be best. Sam would talk when he was ready, until then he simply needed an ear to listen. He knew Ed was the best man for the job, he understood Sam better than almost anyone at the SRU.

"How much longer do you think they'll be?" Jules finally asked as she looked up from where her head had been buried in her hands.

"I don't know Jules. Knowing Sam it could be a few minutes to a few hours. It just depends on what all he needs to work through." Greg answered as he noticed the shooting had stopped. _He must finally be talking to Ed._ Greg thought to himself.

"I just wish I knew what happened." Jules moaned.

"Mrs. Braddock?" Williams called quietly from where he stood in the doorway.

"Please, call me Jules. Mrs Braddock is Sam's mom." Jules offered a small smile.

"Yes ma'am. I was wondering if you would mind talking with me for a moment." Williams smiled back.

"Sure, what's up?" Jules asked as she sat straighter in her seat.

"Do you want me to leave?" Greg asked softly as the soldier stepped into the room.

"No, please stay." Jules pleaded with her eyes. Greg was like a father to her, it would be nice to have him nearby.

Greg simply nodded before gesturing for Williams to have a seat.

"I just wanted to share with you a bit of news that we learned in our briefing. It's why Sam stormed off." Williams started, noting the curious look on both officer's faces.

"What's going on Captain?" Jules asked, begging the man to just get on with it and tell her what's going on.

"What has Sam told you about why he was recalled?" Williams asked, needing to know just how much information he needed to share.

"Just that it's to hunt down a man that you guys hunted before." Jules answered.

"That's correct. Abdul Akbar. We had been given intel in the past that the man was dead due to a roadside bomb that my unit placed. It has been discovered that Akbar is actually still alive." Williams explained.

"Right. That's what Sam said. He said there wasn't enough time to prepare another Unit which is why he had to be recalled." Jules commented, looking at Williams warily.

"That's what we had been led to believe. We discovered today that the intel about him being alive actually came in about four years ago." Williams told her cautiously. He took a moment to let that sink in for both officers. He could tell the moment Jules registered what he was telling her as her eyes sparked with barely controlled rage.

"HE KNEW FOR FOUR YEARS AND DID NOTHING?!" Jules roared as she stood. "This could have all been avoided, couldn't it?"

"Yes ma'am." Williams stood as well.

"Why the hell would the General do that to his own _son_?" Jules turned around and started to pace, uttering a string of curse words under her breath. "I knew the General wanted him back in the Army, but to do _this?"_

 _"_ Jules." Greg called softly in an attempt to calm her a bit.

" _I'm calm!_ Perfectly calm." Jules whirled and bit out. "Don't you see Boss, if the General had sent someone to deal with Akbar when they first heard about him then Sam wouldn't have had to be recalled. He could stay here, with us, with his family, _safe_!"

"I know Jules. But you seem to be forgetting something." Greg carefully rose and walked over to Jules, putting a calming hand on her shoulder. "He has something to fight for now, his family. He's going to come back whole, and safe, because he has you, Sadie, and the baby to come home to. Nothing will keep that man from his you. He loves you all too much to let one person keep him from coming back to you."

"I know, I just wish he didn't have to go." Jules almost cried.

"Ma'am. I just want you to know that myself, my Unit, we've got his back. We will watch over him just as he will watch over us." Williams told her sincerely. He would give his life for Braddock.

"I need him to come home." Jules looked to Sam's commanding officer, letting her fear reach her eyes. She was worried for Sam, worried that he wouldn't come home.

"I'll do everything within my power ma'am." Williams said sincerely.

"Keep him safe. I need him to be safe!" Jules pleaded.

"I know." Williams then pulled Jules into a hug and held her as she cried. Sam was family, which made Jules and the kids family as well. He would do everything within his power to bring Braddock home, and in one piece. His family needed Sam just as much as Sam needed them.


	8. Close Quarters Combat Training

"Sir, is that really necessary? They haven't even finished their training." The Major questioned as he paced his office. He absolutely _hated_ what he was being ordered to do, but unfortunately he couldn't say no to his commanding officer.

"Yes! Make it happen!"

"Yes Sir." Major Douglas Copeland sank into his desk chair and lowered his head to his hands as he released a pent up sigh. There were three men that were about to be very angry with him, and there was nothing that he could do to stop it. He took a deep breath before hitting the button on his intercom. "Corporal."

"Yes Major."

"I need you to arrange a military flight for tomorrow. The bird needs to be in the air no later than noon." The Major explained.

"Leaving from where Sir?" The Corporal asked, already working on the assigned task.

"Toronto."

* * *

Sam set his rifle case on the briefing room table before pulling Jules into a tight hug. He felt bad for having worried her but was thankful that Greg was there for her. He knew that this whole situation was hard on both of them and he couldn't be more thankful for their SRU family right now.

"Hey handsome, you doing okay?" Jules asked as she breathed in his scent, holding him tightly.

"Yeah. Just had to work off some anger." Sam tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry I worried you."

"Don't worry about it Sam. We all need to vent at one point or another." Jules offered him a small smile before finally letting him go.

Sam took a deep breath before removing his rifle from it's case and beginning the task of taking it apart to clean it. The rest of the Unit gathered around to clean their sidearms as well and were chatting with SRU's Team One, Greg, Wordy, and Rollie while they worked.

"...and then, just to see if we could trip him up we turned off the lights." Spike was telling enthusiastically.

"Didn't affect his aim at all did it?" Cole smirked.

"Nope, he just whipped on the night vision goggles and kept going with a cocky smirk on his face. Dead center head shots, every one of them. That's when we gave him the nickname Samtastic." Spike explained happily. He had just finished telling the Unit about how they tested Sam on the range his first day as an SRU officer. He was enjoying sharing stories of Sam with others who had worked with him.

Sam just shook his head in amusement. He had known having the Unit and the Team together was a bad idea, now he was regretting sticking around here while he worked.

"So, what's the plan for the rest of the day Batman?" Cole asked as he looked to Williams. The Unit had finished cleaning their weapons by now, all except Sam that is.

"Well, once Braddock is done cleaning his rifle we will hit the mats and work on some hand to hand." Williams answered. He was looking forward to seeing if Sam had managed to keep his skills in the close combat department during his time in the SRU.

"This is going to be entertaining." Alex from Team One smirked. He always enjoyed watching Sam and Ed go at it in close quarter combat training. He was willing to bet it would be even more interesting watching the Army's elite JTF2 soldiers at work.

"Don't worry Alex, you don't have to wait long. Just finished cleaning, I just need to reassemble then I'm done." Sam smiled before winking at his wife.

"Can you still do _that_ in record time too?" Cole asked just as Williams' phone rang. The Captain looked at his phone, frowned, then stood and walked out to speak with the caller in private. Cole had a gut feeling that whatever the phone call was about, it wasn't going to be good. As he looked back at Sam he saw the same look on his friends face.

"Why don't we time him and find out?" Spike piped up enthusiastically, missing the look that Cole and Sam exchanged.

"Sure, why not." Sam gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head to clear it of the bad feeling that he was having and focused on his former teammate and friend instead.

Spike squealed which caused everyone to laugh. They all watched Sam closely as he quickly and efficiently reassembled his rifle. Jules watched his as his hands moved quickly to put his weapon back together and smiled. He seemed to always enjoy working with guns, which shouldn't surprise her, and they had spend a lot of time in a little friendly competition with disassembling, and reassembling weapons.

Sam smirked as he finished putting his rifle back together and placed in in the case. Spike simply gawked at him, shocked that he was able to reassemble the weapon faster than any other time they had timed him recently. _Still Samtastic._ Spike thought, before he remembered yet again that they _still_ did not know Sam's handle in the Unit.

"Gentlemen, that was the Major." Williams drew the attention of the whole room as he reentered. He took a deep, steadying breath. The people in this room were _not_ going to like the news that he had just been given. But, orders were orders.

"What's up Williams?" Cole asked, his gut telling him even more that something was wrong.

"Our orders have changed. We are to head out on a flight by twelve hundred hours tomorrow." Williams answered, avoiding the blue eyes that bore into his.

"No!" Jules breathed as she sank to a chair next to Sam and buried her head in her hands. Her time with her husband had just shrunk from two weeks down to less than twenty four hours. By noon tomorrow he would be gone.

"Why?" Cole asked as he rose. He had a feeling that he already knew, he just needed to hear it.

"The Major didn't say. Just that the word from the top is that we are needed more immediately than anticipated." Williams answered.

"I'll start getting the gear packed up and ready to go." Sergeant Adams commented. "Baird, Jackson, you're with me."

Baird rose and followed the Sergeant out without a word. If he were being honest he was happy they were leaving sooner. One didn't need to stick around and play house with family when there was _real_ work to be done. In fact, he couldn't believe that Braddock had managed to stick around here this long already.

"Adams." Williams called as he stepped out into the hallway where the soldier had just disappeared. "Once you're done we'll go ahead and do hand to hand before we head out for the night."

"Yes sir." Adams acknowledged before turning to continue on to the conference room where their gear was stored.

Jackson was heading out to help as well when he paused in the doorway and looked at the group inside the briefing room. Jules Braddock was sitting in a chair crying into her hands. One of the officers, Greg, was sitting next to her as he rubbed her back to comfort her. Rollie, Sam's SRU Sergeant simply stood with his hands crossed over his chest, much like Ed was doing. Spike, Leah, Mark, and Alex from Team One and Wordy all stood in shock. When his eyes landed on Braddock he felt for the man. Sam was sitting completely still, like he was in shock. He knew that Sam didn't want to return to the Army, and was sad that due to circumstances beyond the control of anyone in this room he was being forced back in. As Jackson turned to follow Sergeant Adams he vowed to watch Braddock's back while they were deployed. He deserved to come home to his family.

Sam was mad, livid, furious, fuming! He was so enraged that there were not enough descriptive words in the English language to describe how he was feeling. He knew who had called in the order and he shouldn't have been surprised.

"Braddock, you and Cole head to the workout room and get started on hand to hand." Williams instructed, pulling Sam from his thoughts. He knew the best way for his friend to vent his frustration was either with his rifle, or in hand to hand combat.

Sam stood and followed Cole out of the briefing room without a word. He knew he needed to talk to Jules, but now was not the time. For now he would have to let Team One take care of her. He and Cole quickly changed into workout gear and headed to the gym. Team Four was on duty but weren't using it at the moment so they had the whole space to themselves. Both men did a bit of warm up before stepping to face each other on the mats. Just as they were about to begin the rest of the Unit joined them with all the officers that had been hanging out with them in the briefing room.

"Time to see if you've still go it Braddock." Cole taunted as he and Sam circled each other.

"Me? I don't think you have to worry that." Sam responded menacingly, his anger still boiling just under the surface.

"Come on Firestorm, bring the heat!" Adams called out to Cole who chose that moment to lunge at Sam.

Everyone watched as Sam and Cole danced around each other. Each throwing and blocking kicks and punches with ease. The SRU officers watched, amused. They could tell that Sam was just playing around at the moment. Rollie wondered how long it would be before the _real_ training began.

"Deadshot, haven't I told you not to play with your prey?" Williams asked with a laugh. He could see that both men weren't trying very hard at the moment. "Why don't you two get down to the real work."

Baird watched the two men before him and couldn't help but get frustrated again. It seemed like at every turn Braddock was bending rules and now he wasn't even taking training seriously. Didn't the man realize that they had to watch each other's backs. They had to trust each other, defend each other, they were risking their lives together and Braddock wasn't taking it seriously! The longer he was around the man the less he liked him.

"Wait! Sam's nickname is _Deadshot_?" Spike suddenly piped up, at the same moment that Sam kicked Cole's feet out from under him and pinned him to the mats.

"That took you longer than I thought it would Spike." Sam commented from where he had Cole pinned securely to the floor.

"Why Deadshot?" Leah asked, even though she had a feeling that she knew the answer.

"Cause the kid never misses." Cole piped up, slightly out of breath from where Sam had knocked him on his back. He rolled and rose once Sam finally moved off of him. "We thought it was fitting, considering the fact that when Braddock takes a shot at a target they are dead."

"Why didn't you just call him Superman, or Super _Sam_?" Spike asked, laughing at his own thoughts.

"Even though Sam _is_ pretty good at just about anything he's not quite Superman." Cole piped up before downing half a bottle of water.

"Another Unit member was called Superman." Williams stated softly. "Name's off limits now."

Ed caught the underlying message in Williams comment and realized that the man they called Superman was one of the ones that didn't get to come home after Akbar held and tortured part of Sam's old Unit. For the second time today he couldn't help but worry for Sam and the Unit. Akbar was a force to be reckoned with and these men were charged with hunting him down and eliminating him. Ed had to remind himself that they were JTF2, the best, and simply hoped that they would all come back safely, especially Sam.

"Okay, let's let Baird and Jackson show us what they've got." Williams piped up after a moment.

After that the men got back to training and as they watched the two youngest Unit members Sam stepped next to Jules and pulled her into his side.

"You doing okay?" Sam asked quietly.

"I'll be fine Sam. Just a lot to process in such a short amount of time." Jules answered as she looked up and met her husbands blue eyes.

"I'm sorry I have to leave sooner than expected." Sam whispered as tightened his hold on her.

"It just means that you'll get to come home sooner." Jules determined as she offered him a wavering smile. She was determined _not_ to break down and cry until after he was gone. He didn't need to worry about her on top of everything that he had to do.

"I love you Jules."

"I love you too Sam." Jules leaned her head on Sam's shoulder and turned back to the group before them. They seemed capable enough, she just hoped that they really _would_ watch Sam's back like Williams had promised.

"Jackson's fast." Sam observed after a few moments of watching the two soldiers fighting.

"Yep, the fastest. That's why we call him Flash." Williams smiled. Jackson was one of the fastest men he had worked with, he even rivaled Sam's speed.

"Seems fitting." Spike smirked. He still couldn't believe that they called Sam _Deadshot_.

"Watch him Atom, Flash's going to get the drop on you if you don't watch him." Cole commented from where he observed the two soldiers. These two were getting better, but they still had room to improve and the Unit assisted in that anytime they trained.

"Why Atom?" Mark from Team One asked curiously.

"Baird's our medic." Adams answered simply.

"So?" Leah asked.

At that moment Jackson managed to get Baird into a choke hold, effectively ending the fight.

"Atom in the comics is Dr. Ray Palmer. So calling their medic Atom is actually pretty genius." Spike grinned from ear to ear.

"Let me break this down for you Spike." Williams laughed as he saw the look on the SRU officers face. One that said he was trying to keep up but it was getting challenging. "I'm the Commanding Officer and my handle is Batman. Next you have Sergeant Adams who is our pilot. His call sign is Hawkman. Braddock is our sniper, Deadshot. Master Corporal Cole is our explosives expert and goes by Firestorm. Corporal Baird is our medic, handle Atom. Then Jackson there is our fastest man so we call him Flash."

"Hey Batman, how about you quit running your mouth and jump in there." Cole suggested with an ornery smirk on his face. "In fact why don't you and Deadshot face off. I'm willing to bet you can beat him."

"I'll take that bet. Sam can whoop anyone's ass!" Spike piped up just as the rest of Team Two joined the group.

"What's going on?" Frank from Team Two asked curiously.

"The Unit is doing close combat training." Greg informed them.

"Sam is about to train with Williams and Spike and Cole are taking bets on who is going to win." Wordy added with a huge grin.

"Oh, I'm getting in on this!" John, Team Two's negotiator laughed.

All of Teams One and Two, except Jules, added their bets to the pot. Once everything was said and done the Unit guys bet on Williams, Team One, Greg, Wordy, and Winnie all bet on Sam, Team Two was split down the middle.

"Can't believe they're betting on this." Williams commented softly as Sam joined him on the mats.

"Doesn't surprise me knowing Spike and Cole." Sam laughed. This was just what he needed to take his mind off of the fact that he was leaving tomorrow.

"What do you say we give them a show?" Williams asked.

Sam simply gave a chuckle in response before moving into a crouch. _Maybe this will help Baird accept me as part of the Unit._ Sam though as he and Williams started to circle each other.

The noise level in the Barn increased one hundred fold as Williams and Sam fought and the gathered crowd cheered them on. The noise was so loud that even Holleran emerged from his office to see what was going on. He couldn't help but laugh at the sight before him. All the boys and girls of the SRU were gathered around with the JTF2 Unit as Sam and Williams were training on the mats. Normally he would break up the crowd, however, this time he simply stood nearby and watched. He wasn't excited about the fact that Sam had to go back to the war. He was losing a good SRU officer for a while. But, as he had told Sam yesterday, his spot in the SRU would be there for him whenever he could come back to it.

Sam ducked another punch from Williams and moved to his right. They had been doing this dance for five minutes. One of them would go for a shot and the other would block. At one point Williams had gotten him into a choke hold but Sam simply flipped them over, breaking Williams' hold on him. Everyone watching was thoroughly entertained. Both men had ended up on the mats at one point or another but they were both going pretty easy on each other at the moment. He smirked as he met Williams eyes. The other man gave an almost imperceptible nod and Sam's smile grew. They were done playing, time to show everyone what they were _really_ capable of.

A moment later Williams came at him and Sam ducked around and behind the other man, kicking up his speed a bit. Once behind him he went to put the other man in a choke hold but Williams grabbed his arm and flipped him over onto his back. When Williams moved to pin him down Sam reached up and wrapped his legs around the other man's head and using Williiams' momentum to flip him over, pinning him to the mats. Williams stood and they once again faced each other. This time when Williams moved in Sam ducked and swept the other man's feet out from under him. As soon as Williams hit the mats Sam flipped him over and pinned one arm behind his back. A cheer erupted from the gathered crowd.

"Come on Batman, fight back!" Adams called, cheering on his CO.

"Way to go Samtastic!" Spike cheered, his enthusiasm contagious as the rest of Teams One and Two cheered along with him.

Williams managed to buck Sam off his back and rolled away as he stood to his feet, Sam following suit. Both men were starting to get winded now and they were covered in sweat.

"Come on Sam. You can beat him. I know you can!" Jules called from where she stood between Ed and Greg.

Sam took half a moment to take a deep breath as he met Williams' eyes and grinned. Williams knew in that moment he was done for.

Jules watched, fascinated, as Sam fought Williams. She knew Sam was good but he seemed to be moving faster and more precisely today than he had in a long time. She figured that it was simply because he was allowing his deeply buried JTF2 persona to resurface. She smiled softly as she watched Sam take a deep breath, gathering himself and preparing to end the fight once and for all.

Sam and Williams once again moved towards each other but this time instead of ducking Sam jumped into the air and wrapped his legs around Williams, pulling him down to the ground before putting him in a choke hold once again. From the way the men were positioned Williams was unable to move his arms in order to defend himself. Sam had him officially pinned.

Jackson watched as Sam held Williams in a choke hold fer a few moments before releasing him. Sam had been quick and deadly in his last move and Jackson knew that he would have no problem with Sam watching his back once they deployed. Sam was good, really good, at his job.

"You win." Williams croaked as he took deep breaths, trying to pull his breathing back to normal.

The room erupted in cheers, mostly from the SRU officers and Sam allowed a small smile. It had been a long time since he had had to dig that deep in a fight. He felt relieved knowing he still had it in him.

"Okay boys and girls. Time to get back to work on whatever you need to be doing. Show's over." Holleran called from behind the group. He was surprised that no one had noticed him standing there for the last several minutes.

As the group broke up most of the JTF2 guys headed to the locker room to shower and change. Williams had ordered them all to clean up, load up the last of the gear, and head out for the rest of the night. They were told to enjoy their last night on home soil for a while and all of the men were more than happy to comply.

"Ya'll want to go to the Goose tonight?" Ed asked as Team One gathered around Sam and Williams.

"I have some things I need to tend to before we fly out tomorrow." Williams answered. In truth he just wanted to allow Sam to have what little time he had left with friends and family. "I'll text you the info for tomorrow once I receive it."

"Thank you." Sam shook Williams hand and watched as his CO walked to the locker room. When he turned back to the group gathered before him, the original Team One, his family, he pulled Jules into his side and made eye contact with each person. "I have some things to take care of this afternoon but I'd love to go to the Goose this evening."

"Jules?" Greg looked to the woman that he considered his daughter. He knew she would want as much time with Sam as possible tonight and didn't want to infringe on what little time she had left with him.

"We can go for an hour or so." Jules answered as she wrapped her arm around Sam's waist. "If we can find a babysitter for Sadie that is."

"I'm sure Sophie won't mind watching her for you." Ed offered.

"That would be great Ed, thank you."

"Right, everyone head out for the rest of the afternoon and we'll meet up at the Goose say around eight?" Ed suggested.

Everyone agreed with the plan and headed out to keep themselves occupied for the rest of the afternoon.

Sam headed to shower, change, and head home with Jules. He had packing to do, and he wanted to spend as much time with Jules and Sadie as possible before he left tomorrow. Tonight was going to be the longest and shortest night of his life.


	9. The Goose

Jules held Sadie close to her as she watched Sam pack. She had watched as he first unpacked the gear bag the Unit had supplied him with, taking everything out and inventoried it. Afterwards he walked around the bedroom and bathroom getting everything else he needed. Now he was tightly rolling everything and expertly putting it into the green duffle bag that was sitting on their bed.

As she watched him work Jules couldn't help the feeling of dread that had taken root in her gut. She knew that Sam was leaving tomorrow, that he was getting on an Army transport plane and going back to the life that he had left behind, that he had never wanted to return to. She wished with everything in her that he could stay with her and Sadie. Instead she was spending her last night with her husband not knowing when, or even if he would return. As tough as she was she was barely holding herself together.

"Jules? You okay?" Sam asked cautiously. He knew Jules had been watching him closely. He knew that watching him leave tomorrow was the last thing in the world that she ever wanted to do. He wished he could simply take her and Sadie in his arms and never let them go, but unfortunately he had a job to do.

"Fine." Jules answered, offering him a wavering smile.

Sam walked over to her and gently pulled her and Sadie to him. He held his family close as he closed his eyes, wishing he had more time with them.

"I would stay if I could. You know that right?" Sam asked after a moment as he pulled away to look into her eyes.

"I know. That doesn't mean it isn't hard to watch you go back to a life that you never wanted to be in again." Jules answered honestly.

Sadie reached her hands out to her daddy and Sam smiled as he took his baby girl in his arms.

"You make sure you come back to us Sam. All of us." Jules placed a hand on her still flat stomach, thinking of the child that she carried. More proof of the deep love that she and Sam had for one another.

"I plan to." Sam leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

Jules reached up and held Sam's face as she kissed him back, deepening the kiss. She wanted him, right here and right now, but he still had packing to do and it was Sadie's snack time.

Sam moaned as Jules kissed him. He hated this. Things were easier the last time he was in the Army. He didn't have a family that he cared so deeply about. The only family he had back then didn't really care _what_ happened to him down range. This time he had a beautiful wife, an adorable little girl, and another child on the way. He needed to be here, not in some sandbox thousands of miles away. But then the image of Akbar came to mind and he knew that he _had_ to go. Not because he was ordered to, or because the General was punishing him for something, but for his family. If he didn't go eliminate Abdul Akbar and the threat that he posed to his country then he wouldn't be able to guarantee a safe place for his children to grow up. That thought and that thought alone is what pulled Sam from his thoughts.

"Jules." Sam's husky voice broke though Jules' thoughts and she reluctantly let him pull away.

Sam touched his forehead to hers as he held Sadie in one arm and pulled Jules close to him with the other. He took a deep breath, burying the emotions that threatened to spill out so that he could finish the work he needed to do tonight before they headed out to meet the Team.

"It's time for Sadie's snack. I'll go get it." Jules muttered as she stepped out of Sam's embrace.

Sam simply nodded as Jules pulled back and watched her walk away as she went to the kitchen. He swallowed hard then plastered a smile on his face as he looked to his daughter, wiping a single tear from his cheek.

"Do you want to help daddy pack Sadie?" Sam asked as he turned back to the bed where half his gear was still waiting to be put into his bag.

Sadie cooed and waved her arms as Sam gently laid her on the bed and he smiled. He could sit and watch her all day.

A few minutes later Jules returned with Sadie's bottle and sat down on the bed with her back to the headboard. She sat with Sadie on her lap as Sam finished putting the last of his things into the bag, zipped it up, and moved it to the floor. He then neatly piled everything he would need the next day on top of his dresser and ensured that his boots and dog-tags were out and ready to go. He finished getting his things prepped for the next day the same time Sadie finished her bottle.

"We have about twenty minutes before we need to leave." Sam commented as he sat down on the bed next to Jules and placed a hand on her knee.

"I'm glad you're getting the chance to hang out with the Team before you leave." Jules commented with a sad smile. "They're going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss them too." Sam commented. The Team may have changed, he may have moved to another Team, but they were still family, brothers and sisters by choice. He was going to miss his them dearly. "Come on, let's get going."

* * *

"I still can't believe Sam's leaving tomorrow." Leah commented as she joined Spike, Winnie, and Greg at the large table they had commandeered at the Goose.

"None of us can Leah." Greg agreed as he leaned his cane up against the table.

"Hey guys." Wordy greeted as he and Shelly approached the table arm in arm. "Look who we found lurking around outside."

"He was parking the car after dropping me off." Greg laughed as Dean sat down next to him.

The group chatted for a couple of moments before Dean looked up and smiled.

"Hey look, there's the Lanes." Dean stood and went to greet Clark.

"Nice to see you finally made it." Spike teased Ed with a huge grin on his face.

"Yeah, well, our babysitter was a few minutes late." Ed explained as he pulled out the chair for Sophie.

"But we're not complaining because she's doing it for free." Sophie smiled as she joined the group at the table. "When Mark's wife heard why we were gathering tonight she offered to watch Izzy and Sadie for us so we could all be here."

"Thanks for letting us come tonight." Clark smiled at his dad as he sat next to Dean.

Clark and Dean had bonded with Sam over the last year. They had gone camping and hunting together that summer and had found a good friend and mentor in the SRU officer. Neither teen was thrilled about the fact that Sam was heading off to war.

"Well, you boys have been good friends to Sam this last year. We thought you'd appreciate the time with him before he heads out." Greg squeezed his son's shoulder.

"Speak of the devil." Ed grinned as he waved to the Braddocks, having noticed that they were looking for the group.

"Samtastic!" Spike squealed as he stood and pulled Sam into a tight hug, patting him firmly on the back before pulling away.

"Nice of you to join us Samo." Ed tilted his head to the side as he leaned back in his chair, draping his arm across the back of Sophie's chair as he spoke.

"Thanks for coming out guys." Sam pulled a chair out for Jules. "It means a lot."

"No where else we'd rather be." Wordy commented as he patted Sam's shoulder, repeating words he had heard both Sam and Jules use multiple times.

The Team spent the evening buying beers for Sam and sodas for Jules since she couldn't have the alcohol. They reminisced about when Sam first came to the Team, his first run to Timmy's, all the times he saved their asses in the field, and the times they spent together as a family. They shared funny stories about the kids. Clark and Dean talked about how school was going. Greg shared stories about the kids he was teaching in the academy. Sam relished every bit of it, every story, every laugh, every serious moment. These people, they were the family that he had chosen and he was at peace knowing that they would care for his family while he was away.

* * *

Sam and Jules were laying in bed, enjoying each other's company after the evening with their family. Just as they were leaving the Goose Sam had received the text from Williams with the time and place that the Unit would be meeting for their flight out. The Team had all asked if they would be allowed to be there to say their goodbyes. Sam was hesitant until Greg quietly explained that they wanted to be there more for Jules than anything. He readily agreed once he heard the real reason. He would ensure Jules thought they were there for him so she wouldn't get upset at the fact that the Team was going to be hovering.

"Tonight was fun." Jules commented as she drew her finger across Sam's bare chest as he rested his hand on her bare shoulder.

"Remember this..." Jules whispered as she wrapped her arm around Sam. "When you're over there and you're tired, or feeling lonely remember that I'm here, waiting for you. Waiting for you to come home to remind me how much you love me."

Jules raised to up on one arm and smiled down at her husband.

"When you're exhausted but unable to sleep remember this night. Remember how much I love you and all the little ways I like to show you." Jules leaned down and kissed him gently, first on the cheek but slowly working her way to his strong jaw before landing on his lips.

"I won't ever forget you Jules." Sam whispered as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You, Sadie, the baby...you're my reason for living. You're what's going to get me through the longs days and even longer nights. I love you with every fiber of my being, have since the moment I saw you and you pointed your Remmie at me."

Jules laughed. She remembered that day with vivid clarity. She hadn't realized it then but that was the moment she fell in love with Samuel Braddock, and she hadn't looked back since, even with the roadblocks in their relationship. She loved every moment of life with the man next to her and she sincerely hoped that she was going to be able to enjoy many more years to come. He just had to come home!

Sam and Jules spent the rest of the night and into the early morning hours loving each other. They were desperate to spend every moment possible in each other's arms. As Jules finally fell asleep with her head resting over his heart Sam gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

"I love you Jules. Don't ever forget it!" Sam whispered.


	10. Departure

Jules stretched as she slowly woke. She felt like she could still sleep for hours. As she looked at the clock on her bedside table she realized why, she had only been sleeping for about three hours. As much as she wanted to go back to sleep though she knew they would have to be getting up soon.

"Morning handsome..." Jules rolled over and was surprised to find Sam's side of the bed empty.

Jules sat up and looked around, not finding Sam anywhere in the room. She pulled herself out of bed and walked to the bathroom in search of her husband. He wasn't there either. As she walked through the bedroom she pulled on her robe and went down the hall in search of her man. When she came to the door of the nursery she stopped. Inside Sam was sitting in the rocking chair with Sadie in his arms. He was looking at her intently, almost like he was memorizing everything about his baby girl. Jules leaned against the door frame, crossed her arms over her chest, and simply watched her two favorite people in the world. She stood there for a good five minutes just observing her little family.

"I'm going to miss you baby girl." Sam said softly as he gazed into his daughter's beautiful blue eyes. "You be good for mommy while I'm gone, okay. I promise I'm going to think about you every day. I'll do everything I can to be home for your birthday Sadie. Daddy loves you so _very_ much." Sadie cooed as he laid her on his shoulder and simply held her. He closed his eyes, relishing this moment of peace with his little ray of sunshine in his arms. He was going to miss this, so very much! He couldn't help the few tears that escaped as he held his baby girl.

A few minutes later Sam took a deep breath and wiped his eyes. As he settled Sadie back down into his lap he noticed Jules was standing in the doorway. He wondered how long she had been standing there, but once he saw the tears in her eyes he knew that she had to have heard his words to Sadie. He offered her a wavering smiled as she walked into the room and knelt down next to the rocking chair. She took Sadie's hand and smiled at her as Sam placed a hand around her shoulders. They stayed like that for several moments before Sadie started to fuss and Jules realized it was time for her little munchkin to eat.

"I should go change and feed her." Jules commented as she leaned her head against Sam's shoulder.

"Would you mind if I gave her her bottle?" Sam asked, unable to stop looking at the child in his arms.

"Not at all." Jules answered. She had a feeling that Sam wanted as much time with Sadie as possible before he had to leave. After all, he only had a couple of hours left before he needed to meet up with the Unit.

They had both been surprised last night when Williams had texted Sam with the time and place. They had both thought that they would have until noon, but unfortunately their travel plans got moved up once again and they had to be at the airfield by nine thirty. The flight was leaving at ten.

"How about I take care of changing her and getting her dressed while you shower. Then I'll shower while you feed her." Jules suggested as she met Sam's gaze.

Sam simply nodded in agreement. He appreciated Jules' understanding. Jules stood and carefully took Sadie from him, talking to her daughter softly as she did so. Sam then stood and pulled them both into a hug. He gently kissed the top of Sadie's head before heading towards the bathroom.

Sam showered and shaved in record time. He was getting nervous about leaving his family. He had rarely experienced nervousness like this before. Not that he hadn't been nervous, this was just a different kind. He was almost afraid, which had also rarely happened to him. It took him until he finished shaving to realize _why_ he was afraid. He was afraid that he was not going to come home. He was afraid that something would happen while he was overseas that would keep him from watching Sadie grow up, from holding Jules in his arms again, from meeting his unborn child. He so desperately wanted to come home to them. He decided then and there that he needed to pull himself together. His time in the SRU had softened him and it was time to build those walls up again, fortify them. He was leaving, going off to war. He needed to shift completely into being a soldier once again. Only then would he be able to do his job, and come home.

Taking a deep breath he walked into the bedroom and stood before his dresser where his uniform waited. After the space of three heartbeats he started to dress. He donned everything except the top to his uniform. He wore the tan shirt that went under the camo top, but decided to wait until after he fed Sadie to put the camo shirt on. He then made his way down to the kitchen where he knew his girls would be waiting.

Jules had just finished preparing Sadie's bottle when Sam walked up behind her and put his arm around her waist. Sadie immediately turned to him with wide eyes and a smile.

"I think she wants you daddy." Jules smiled as she passed her daughter off to her husband.

"Come here Sadie." Sam said softly as he took her into his arms. He kissed her forehead before moving to sit on a stool at the breakfast bar and settle in to feed her.

As Sam fed Sadie Jules ran upstairs to shower and dress. She took a few extra moments with her hair, makeup, and clothes. She wanted to look good for Sam. She had worked really hard to keep her thoughts from turning dark as she got ready but the closer they were getting to leaving the harder it was becoming. She just hoped that she would be able to hold it together until after Sam boarded his plane and could no longer see her. Taking a deep breath she steeled her nerves and headed downstairs.

Sam and Jules worked effortlessly together to finish getting Sadie ready to go and load his gear into the car. When Sam backed the Jeep out of the drive he reached down and took Jules' hand in his, rubbing his thumb over her wedding rings.

They rode in silence, neither knowing what to say at this point. Both thought that the trip to the air strip was too short as it felt like they arrived just moments after they left the house.

Sam pulled the Jeep around to where their SRU family was already gathered. The JTF2 Unit was already in the process of loading the gear on the large military transport that was waiting for them. As they got out of the vehicle Cole and Williams came to get his gear and load it for him, telling him to take what little time he had left and spend it with his friends and family.

"Thanks for coming out guys. It really means a lot to me knowing that you're here to support us." Sam said as they walked up to the group. He was holding Sadie once again but passed her off to Winnie when she offered to hold her for a few minutes.

Wordy was the first to approach Sam.

"Sam, buddy, we're going to miss you. Take care of yourself over there will ya." Wordy pulled Sam into a tight hug. Sam was like a brother to him and would be greatly missed by the Wordsworth family.

"Thanks Wordy, I will. Thanks for being here, for being family." Sam said softly. Wordy patted him on the back before pulling away. No other words were needed.

"Sam, you've been a huge asset on my Team and your spot will be there for you when you get back." Rollie said as he approached Sam. The men shook hands and Rollie pulled him into a one armed hug.

"Thanks Rollie. It's been great working with you too and I look forward to coming back to Team Two once we take down Akbar." Sam replied with a small smile.

Sam said goodbye to the rest of Team Two before they left. They had candidates to meet for Sam's temporary replacement today.

Once Team Two left it was just the original Team One and Winnie left. Each member of the Team hugged Sam tightly and let him know that they were going to miss him, that they would watch over his family while he was away.

"I'm going to miss you brother." Spike whispered as he held onto Sam tightly.

"I'm going to miss you too Spike. Take care of Jules, please." Sam pleaded quietly.

"Of course. As long as you take care of you Samtastic."

"I'll do my best." Sam slapped Spike on the shoulder as they pulled away.

"Braddock." Williams called from where they waited near the loading bay of the jet.

"Yes sir." Sam called back, noting that it was almost time for them to leave.

"Sam, remember when you're out there that we've got our hands on your back. We'll watch out for things here until you can return home and care of them yourself. We'll watch out for Jules, Sadie, and the baby and make sure they're taken care of. Don't worry about things here. You just focus on your mission, take out your target, so you can come home to your family." Greg said as he squeezed Sam's shoulder.

"When I first came to the SRU I was a mess. I had just lost Matt, left the Army, I didn't have a real family to care for me or many friends for that matter. But you guys changed all that. Yeah we had a rocky start but you guys took me in, made me family. You guys saved my life." Sam took a deep breath as he took Sadie into his arms once again. "You helped me see the beauty in life. You showed me what love really looked like. You made me a part of your family and for that I will never be able to repay you."

Sam took a deep breath as he held his baby girl just a little bit tighter.

"I know you'll take care of of my family and it means the world to me." Sam said.

Everyone shared one last hug or pat on the back before the Team stepped away to allow Sam and Jules one final moment alone.

"I'm going to miss you Braddock." Jules whispered as Sam took her into his arms. She slipped an envelope into his pocket as he held her before tightly wrapping her arms around him. "Be careful, stay safe, come home."

"I'll do my best Jules. I love you _so_ much." Sam buried his nose in her hair, breathing in her scent, committing it to memory.

Finally, after a long moment he released her and pulled back. He adjusted Sadie in his arms and smiled at her, blue eyes meeting blue.

"I love you Sadie girl. You be good for mommy and I'll be home as soon as I can." Sam kissed her on the forehead. "Daddy loves you baby girl."

Sam then gently passed Sadie back to Jules then leaned down for one last kiss. Touching his forehead to Jules' he whispered "I love you" one last time before taking a deep breath, turning around, and walking to join the Unit on the jet. He didn't look back, he refused to, because he knew that if he did he would never leave, and that wasn't an option.

Williams reached out and squeezed Sam's shoulder as the younger man passed. Sam was the only one in the Unit that was married and had a family so no one really knew how hard it was for him to leave them behind. However, Andy had made a promise to Jules to watch Sam's back and bring him home. He was determined to do just that.

Jules stood with Sadie in her arms and watched as Sam boarded the plane. Moments later the large cargo bay door closed, the engines roared to life, and the plane pulled away. She watched it, her eyes never leaving the large grey transport, until it rose into the air and out of sight. When she finally turned around Greg was there. She fell into his arms and sobbed. The love of her life had just gone to war, and there was no guarantee he would ever come back. She didn't know how she was going to survive!

As the plane rose into the air Sam closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He already missed his family dearly. He leaned his head back and slipped his hands in his pockets. That's when he felt an envelop in one of them. He withdrew it and smiled. Maybe he _would_ make it through this deployment. He had a family to come home to after all, and he would fight with everything that he had every day to be able to come home to them sooner.


	11. Boots on the Ground

"Major, I have the General on the line."

"Patch him through Corporal." Major Copeland instructed his aide.

There was silence on the line for a moment as the call was connected and in that moment the Major took a deep breath. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like talking to the General for a long while now that Sam was back in the field.

"Major Copeland." The Major answered the line once connected.

"Major, I've just received a call from from the CIA. It seems they have an operative that has been taken. They need our help with retrieval." General Braddock stated. "All of their SEAL Teams are otherwise engaged so I've offered our services."

"General, I don't even have a Unit on the ground right now. Everyone is either on assignment or in transit somewhere." Major Copeland's gut was right. He didn't like where this was going. He rubbed his hands over his face in frustration.

"You have a Unit en route as we speak. As soon as their boots hit the ground brief them and send them. This mission is to be accomplished immediately, am I understood?" The General's tone of voice left no room for debate. This was what was going to be done!

"Yes sir." The Major acknowledged.

"Keep me informed." The General hung up and then turned back to his desk. This should teach his son not to disrespect him.

* * *

**Transport Jet**

Sam sat staring at the picture in his hand. The envelope Jules had slipped into his pocket contained a laminated picture of her and Sadie and a note from Jules, reminding him how much she loves him. He would always carry this picture with him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, he might as well try and get some shut eye. With the General calling the shots for his Unit he didn't expect much down time once they arrived at the base.

Williams looked up as the co-pilot emerged from the flight deck.

"Captain Williams, Major Copeland is on the radio and would like to speak with you." The Lieutenant told him.

"Thank you Lieutenant." Williams stood, stretched his aching muscles, then followed the man to the front of the plane. "How far out are we now?"

"About three hours Sir."

The co-pilot handed Williams a headset before returning to his seat.

"Captain Williams."

"Captain, it's Major Copeland. I'm calling to let you know that your Unit needs to be mission ready when you land. You've been tasked with a retrieval mission as soon as your boots hit the ground." Major Copeland explained.

"Sir? We've had minimal training and my guys are going to be exhausted." Williams _didn't_ want to be put in the field so quickly. The Unit barely knew each other at this point and he had really wanted them to mesh a bit more before going into combat.

"Sorry Captain. You are the only option. You will be briefed upon your arrival."

"Copy."

"See you soon Captain." Major Copeland signed off. Williams was going to want to tan his hide when he arrived.

Williams handed the headset to the pilot before returning to his Unit. He couldn't believe they were going in the field already. Sam had only been active duty a couple of days. The Unit had barely trained together. Not to mention he didn't know _what_ Baird was thinking when it came to Sam. He shook his head in frustration.

"Listen up guys." Williams called, gaining the attention of his Unit. "We've already been tasked with a retrieval mission. We will be briefed as soon as our plane lands. Grab what shut eye you can now, we land in about three hours."

"Why are they sending us out already?" Cole asked as he shifted in his seat.

"I don't know. We'll get more info when we get there. For now just try and rest." Williams instructed as he took his seat.

"The General?" Sam asked quietly when Williams sat next to him.

"That's my guess. Sorry Sam."

"Nothing to apologize for. You're just following orders. It's not your fault the General is out to make my life hell." Sam leaned his head back again and closed his eyes. "Some things never change." He muttered.

* * *

**Military Base - Afghanistan**

Major Copeland stood on the flight line and watched as the military transport plane carrying Williams' Unit landed and taxied to it's parking spot. He felt bad that the Unit was going straight to mission and not even getting a few hours of down time to rest up. The next twenty four hours were going to be brutal for the men on so little sleep.

Sam stood and shouldered his gear with the rest of his Unit. As the cargo bay door opened and the base came in to view Sam took in a deep, steadying breath.

"Welcome gentlemen." Major Copeland greeted the men as they were exiting the aircraft. "Don't salute, your hands are full." He quickly added as he saw a couple of them men start to adjust the hold they had on their gear to render a salute.

"Major, what's going on?" Cole quickly asked as he stood next to Williams. "What's so important that they have to send us out immediately?"

"Throw your gear in that truck, then we'll take this one to the briefing. I'll explain a bit on the way." Copeland instructed as he pointed to the vehicle they would all ride in.

The men made quick work of transferring their gear to the designated truck before piling into the second one for the ride to the briefing.

"I got a call about four hours ago that the CIA has an operative that has been taken and is being held prisoner. We have been asked to facilitate a rescue." The Major explained.

"Why us? Why not the Marines, or the SEALS?" Adams asked curiously.

"All the SEAL Teams in the area are already on mission, and the marines aren't as equipped as we are. The fighting's been brutal the last several weeks so everyone that can be is out in the thick of it." Williams sighed. "Unfortunately you guys are the only ones available for this."

The truck pulled up to the group of command buildings and everyone piled out. The were guided to a tent with a conference table. William's smiled as he saw food and water laid out for his men.

"Figured you all would be hungry by time you got here." Major Copeland smiled when he saw the appreciative looks on everyone's faces.

"Very hungry." Jackson commented as he sat next to Sam and dug in.

"Sergeant, are we prepared to start the briefing?" The Major asked as he turned to a soldier seated in the front of the room.

"Yes sir."

"Very well. Let's begin."

Major Copeland began to brief the Unit on the mission. They had surveillance of the area, the intel from the abduction of the operative, and basic information on who they think took him. After about thirty minutes of passing on information he opened the room up for questions.

"How many hostiles are we expecting?" Cole asked as he looked over his notes.

"Unknown. This location is a way station for supplies. They just had a shipment come through two days ago so they shouldn't be expecting another one for several days. We estimate that there are about thirty men on site but that is unconfirmed." The Sergeant answered.

"What about the CIA operative. Do we know what injures he may have sustained or if he will be able to walk out?" Baird asked, needing to know what medical supplies might be needed.

"There was a lot of blood at the scene, but it looks as though most of it belonged to one of the other CIA agents that was there. His health status in unknown so I would be prepared to carry him out." Major Copeland answered.

"What about firepower? Do we know what weapons they have?" Sam asked curiously.

"We do not. As I mentioned, it's a way station for supplies. This includes weapons. We've seen just about everything go through that place at one point or another so it's impossible to tell what they have on hand a the moment."

"What about extraction? How are we getting out?" Adams asked.

"We have a unit on the way to facilitate your extraction. They will pick you up here." Copeland pointed to a place on the map. "There are three other exfil points marked on your maps in case one doesn't pan out. They will meet you with a Humvee to bring you back to base."

"How are we getting in?" Jackson finally asked the question that had been nagging at him.

"You will be doing a HALO jump. It's the fastest, least detectable way in." Copeland answered as he looked over the men before him. "This mission needs to be completed as quickly as possible. Our American friends are counting on us."

"When do we leave?" Williams asked.

"The bird will be ready in an hour. That should give you enough time to square away what gear you need and board. Your parachutes are packed and awaiting inspection." The Major stood. "If you need anything just let me know and I'll make sure you get it."

"Thank you sir." Williams stood, as did the rest of the men in his Unit.

"Good luck gentlemen."

* * *

**Somewhere in Afghan airspace**

"Still know how to jump Braddock?" Cole asked as he adjusted the pack strapped onto his chest.

"Been a while but I hear it's like riding a bike." Sam answered with a smirk. "You gonna hold my hand in case I get scared?"

"Not a chance Braddock." Cole teased back.

Williams listened to the playful banter and smiled. At least _some_ of his Unit was getting along. He looked across to Baird and noticed a slight frown on the man's face as he listened to the exchange between Braddock and Cole. He had wanted time to pull Baird aside and find out what was going on with him, but unfortunately he just hadn't had the chance yet. He was determined to do so once they completed this mission.

"Two minutes to green light." Called the pilot over the intercom. They had two minutes before they were to jump.

"You ready men?" Williams asked as he looked around at his men. He was answered with a chorus of 'Yes Sir'. "Keep it close, stay vigilant, see you on the ground."

"Masks on." Cole called as he stood and faced the group. Each man put on his oxygen mask and pulled his visor down. They were jumping from a high altitude, thus the reason for the tanks.

As Sam stood he checked his gear. He had his k-bar, his sidearm with extra clips, his sniper rifle with extra ammo, his ghillie suit to camouflage him when in his perch, as well as power bars and water to hold him over for a short amount of time.

"Twenty seconds to jump." The pilot called as the cargo bay door opened.

Moments later the Unit jumped out of the aircraft and hurtled towards the ground. The six men allowed themselves to free fall until they were at a low altitude before deploying their chutes. They all landed within sight of each other and quickly tucked the parachutes away so that they couldn't be found easily. Now that the parachute packs were off their backs they were all able to readjust their gear onto their backs before they moved.

"Alright men. We have a two klick hike to get to the depot. Let's get a move on." Williams instructed. "And remember, only handles from here on out."

Hawkman took the lead and the rest of the Unit fell in behind him. They took off at a jog to the northeast, the direction of the supply depot. The men were silent, not willing to waste their breath on things that weren't important on the way there.

After the Unit had been hiking for a while Hawkman suddenly stopped, held up a fist to indicate that everyone should stop, and took a knee. The rest of the Unit followed suit, Firestorm and Flash turned to the rear to keep an eye out for any unwanted company.

"Depot is just ahead." Hawkman whispered as Batman, Atom, and Deadshot came up next to him.

"Deadshot, find the best place for a perch. I'll spot you." Batman instructed. "Atom, you're with Hawkman. Firestorm, you take Flash. Slow and smooth, we can't afford a mistake."

Sam couldn't help the small chuckle at Batman's words.

"What's so funny Deadshot?" Firestorm asked as he moved position to look at the compound in front of them.

"Back at the Barn we would always say 'Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, fast is lethal'. Just made me think of it is all." Deadshot explained with a smile.

"Sounds fitting." Batman commented. "Okay, Deadshot do you have a perch picked out?"

"Yes sir, on that ridge. We can be there in less than five minutes." Deadshot answered as he pointed to the location in question.

"Hold here until we're in position. You don't go in without us covering your back. Understood?" Batman asked as he eyed the Unit.

"Understood. Holding position." Firestorm responded. He knew the importance of having a sniper watching your back firsthand. If it weren't for Sam he would have been dead many times over.

Batman stood and tapped Deadshot on the shoulder. Both took off at a quick pace for the location the sniper had indicated. At the speed they were moving they would be there in three minutes.

Atom couldn't believe that Deadshot bad brought up his time in the SRU. Out here, in the field, you were supposed to leave those things back home. You don't take it with you or it could distract you, make you lose focus, end up getting you injured. This was just one more thing that Atom added to the list of things he absolutely did _not_ like about Deadshot. The fact that he carried a picture of his family in the hidden pocket in his kevlar was another one of them. _I'm willing to bet it takes them twice as long to get to the stupid sniper position too._ He thought as he glanced at his watch. It had been two and a half minutes since the Captain and sniper had left. Atom figured he had at least seven more minutes before they were going to be moving.

"Be ready to move in sixty seconds." Batman called over the radio three minutes after he and Deadshot had left the Unit. Deadshot was just pulling the camoflauge over his rifle and settling into position.

"In position." Deadshot commented over the comms just after flipping the cap off of his rifle. He took a deep breath and looked down range. Scanning the compound he did a quick count of the hostiles that he could see.

"Moving to the fence." Firestorm informed the two men in the sniper perch. They would need to be completely aware of the position of each Unit member at all times, for everyone's safety.

"I count fifteen hostiles." Deadshot informed the men down range.

"There could be more in the buildings so go careful." Batman instructed as he watched the men's progress through his binoculars.

"Hold." Deadshot instructed steadily. The men had just made it to the fence line about two hundred yards from a watch tower. He would need to eliminate the guard first. "What's the position on the guard on the far side of the compound?"

Batman looked towards the opposite end of the compound. There were two watch towers stationed along the fence, one on either end of the compound. If Deadshot was going to take out one he would have to take out both, all without anyone else noticing.

"Facing away. Take the shot." Batman instructed.

Deadshot didn't even blink. As soon as Batman told him to take the shot the man in the guard tower went down quietly. He quickly sighted the guard in the other watch tower and took him out as well.

"Two targets down. Cleared to enter." Deadshot said into the comms. He took a deep steadying breath as he scanned the compound once again. It had been a long time since he had been in this position. It was a good thing he still remembered how to do this job. Of course, the fact that he was a sniper at his job on home soil helped. It kept his skills in tact.

The four unit men quickly cut the wire to the fence and slipped in, completely unnoticed by the guards around them. They silently moved to the side of the first building, Firestorm in the lead. Just as he was about to peek around the corner to look for any hostiles a man fell dead at his feet, a bullet hole neatly in the center of his head. Deadshot had just saved them from being discovered. _Glad to see the kid still has it._ He thought as he checked to see if the coast was clear before he and Flash moved around to the north side of the house that they thought held the man they were after. Hawkman and Atom would go around the south side and go in from the opposite direction. As they approached the door they were going to go into he heard the sound of a body dropping behind them.

Flash turned around quickly at the sound of a body dropping behind him. He was shocked to find a hostile, dead, where he had stood only moments before. He realized then that he wasn't doing his job good enough. He needed to keep a better watch on their six if they were going to make it out of here alive. He glanced quickly to where he knew Deadshot was perched and gave a slight dip of his head in thanks. He knew the sniper would see.

Deadshot smiled as Flash dipped his head in thanks. The kid hadn't been paying enough attention to what was going on behind him and had almost got killed in the process.

"Six o'clock. Three hostiles." Batman called out as he watched the mission unfolding below them.

Deadshot quickly located, and eliminated the targets that Batman had called out. So far he had taken out half of the men that he had seen. As the Unit entered the building he kept a close eye on the area around the building. Several more men approached the structure but thanks to Deadshot's quick reaction time they were all eliminated before they reached the building. He heard the sounds of the Unit inside as they eliminated a few targets and located the package.

"More targets approaching from the east." Batman noted.

"We have to carry him out. We need a ride Batman." Firestorm informed his CO as he hauled the CIA operative up from the floor where they had found him. The man had clearly been tortured for information.

"Copy. There are two trucks on the west side of the building." Batman told the Unit.

Deadshot quickly located the truck and took out two targets that were heading for them.

"Driver's side." Batman noted. Seconds later the man was down, and the two tires that they could see went flat as bullets lodged themselves into them. _Well, there goes their second get away truck._ He thought with a smirk. Deadshot sure knew how to clear a path.

The Unit exited the building and were piling into the truck when gunfire erupted. Flash and Atom were under fire as Firestorm and Hawkman loaded the package into the truck.

Deadshot had opened fire on a group of men that were heading towards the Unit from the far side of the compound when Batman indicated that the Unit was under fire. He quickly located and eliminated the men who were firing on his Unit, but not before Flash went down.

"Flash is down, I repeat, Flash is down." Atom called as he hauled his teammate up and into the backseat of the truck.

"Begining exfil. Meet us on the road." Hawkman called as he threw the car into drive and spun wheels as he took off.

Atom was in the backseat of the truck trying to assess Flash's injury. His head was bleeding profusely and Atom was worried about what damage had been done. Flash was knocked out at the moment and he was doing his best to revive his friend while he assessed his physical state. He was pissed at Deadshot. The man was supposed to be watching their backs and instead he was doing who knew what while they were being shot at. Because Deadshot wasn't doing his job Flash was injured. Atom decided he would have to exercise quite a bit of self control when he saw the man, or he might just punch Deadshot's lights out.

"We need to move." Batman called as he grabbed gear.

Deadshot was still reigning bullets down on the men that were following his Unit when Batman ordered him to move. He quickly stood, grabbed his rifle, and put in a new clip as he ran. He never knew when he would need to take another shot but he wanted to be prepared at all times.

Batman and Deadshot ran to meet up with the pickup truck down the road from the depot. They listened as Firestorm was opening fire on the men that had managed to grab a truck and follow them. From the sounds of it the Unit's truck wouldn't be able to stop to pick them up unless something was done about the truck following them.

"Batman, hold." Deadshot called as he skid to a stop on an outlook by the road. All they had to do was climb down the hill and they would be roadside.

"We need to go." Batman argued as he watched his sniper drop to a knee and look down his scope. The road curved slightly to the right in the direction that the Unit's truck was coming from and as their men came into view Batman realized what Deadshot was up to.

Deadshot took one steadying breath as the truck with the hostiles came into view. He was right, he had a three second window to line up the shot and fire or his target would be out of sight. He quickly found the small door on the side of the truck and fired. Mere seconds later the truck that had been following the Unit burst into flames as Deadshot fired a round into the gas tank, causing it to catch fire and explode.

Batman smiled. The road was now blocked and the Unit had the time that they needed to slow and pick them up. He and Deadshot quickly slid down the hill and jumped into the back of the truck. He pounded on the roof of the cab to let Hawkman know that they were on board and to move out.

"How's he doing?" Batman asked as he poked his head through the back window to check on Flash.

"Thankfully it looks like the bullet only grazed the side of his head. I won't know for sure until he wakes up though." Atom explained as he continued to monitor his teammate and friend.

"Good to hear." Batman slapped Atom on the shoulder. The kid had done good today, whether he realized it or not.

"We have two more trucks on our tail." Firestorm noted about a half a minute after Deadshot and Batman were on board. The hostiles just wouldn't let up. _Where did they get that truck_? He thought.

"Keep firing." Deadshot instructed, his voice emotionless. He had had to tune out all emotion for this mission and focus simply on the job that he was here to do. He currently held Batman's assault rifle and was firing right alongside Firestorm as the two trucks gained speed and approached them at a steady pace.

"This isn't working. We need to stop those trucks." Firestorm called as he continued to reign down fire on the men chasing them.

"I have an idea." Deadshot commented as he dropped the assault rifle and lifted his sniper rifle once again.

"What are you going to do with that, they're too close?" Firestorm asked curiously as he watched the sniper out of the corner of his eye while he continued to fire.

"Going to hit the engine block. If I do it just right it will stop the truck in it's tracks. If I'm lucky it will cause the truck to explode." Deadshot answered as he settled the rifle in place.

"And what are the chances you'll hit it just right?"

"Slim to none." Deadshot commented as he sighted the truck. "If Hawkman was giving us a smoother ride it would be easier." He muttered, eliciting a small laugh from the man next to him.

"Good thing you're exceptional with a rifle." Batman commented as he turned to see what the rest of his Unit was up to. He sincerely hoped that Deadshot could make this shot.

Deadshot took one steadying breath. Just as he was about to pull the trigger and send the bullet into the engine block of the truck in pursuit he felt pain flare in his upper right arm and he sharply inhaled. Then he fired. He remained in his current position, rifle raised and eye on the scope, until he saw the truck behind them explode into flames. It was sheer luck that the second truck was so close behind the first as it had no time to stop. The second truck hit the first and burst into flames as well.

It seemed they were finally free of a tail as Hawkman pushed the truck to it's limits on the way to the rendezvous point about twenty minutes away. Now all they had to do was make it back to the base in one piece.


	12. Back at Base

**JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

"How's Jackson?" Sam asked as he looked up and met William's gaze.

"He's fine. Just a few stitches, he'll be just like new in a few days." Williams answered as he crossed his arms over his chest. "How about you?"

"Just a few stitches. I'll be just like new in a few days." Sam smirked as he gestured to where the medic was wrapping up the bullet wound in his right arm.

"Always the smart ass." Cole laughed as he joined Sam and Williams. "Baird just took Jackson back to the tent. What do you guys say we head to the chow hall and get some grub?"

Sam stood and slowly pulled his tan t-shirt over his head, ignoring the flare of pain in his arm. Grabbing his camo uniform top on the way out all three men left for the chow tent. None of them had eaten more than the small bit of food provided upon their arrival since since leaving Toronto over twenty four hours ago and they were starving.

"Where's Adams?" Cole asked as the three soldiers sat down at a table with trays loaded with food.

"He volunteered to escort the package to the CIA Headquarters." Williams answered.

"Wouldn't they have sent agents to do that?" Sam asked curiously.

"Adams figured that having an extra man on hand wouldn't be a bad idea." Williams explained.

"It's not...a bad idea I mean." Sam commented around his bite of what they tried to pass as mashed potatoes out here.

"Neither is getting some shut eye." Cole was exhausted. No one had gotten any sleep in over twenty four hours. He knew the rest of the Unit had to be as well.

"Once we're done here we'll hit the sack." Williams agreed with Cole. They _all_ needed sleep.

"When will Adam's be back?" Cole turned to Williams.

"How does now sound?" Adams asked from where he stood behind Braddock.

"Adams, everything go okay?" Williams asked as he gestured for the sergeant to have a seat.

"Yeah, the agent is going to recover and is safely tucked away in the middle of the Marine base just over yonder." Adams answered as he too dug into his food.

"Good to hear."

Once they finished their meal the four soldiers headed towards the tent that had been assigned to their Unit. They had just reached it when a Private jogged up to Williams and told him that Major Copeland wanted to see him.

"This can't be good." Cole muttered as they watched Williams walk away.

"What do you think is going on now?" Adams asked as he looked between Sam and Cole.

"I don't know. But, what I do know is that we better get some sleep while we can." Sam commented as he turned to enter the tent.

Just as Sam reached the entrance to the tent Baird exited. The two soldiers made eye contact and Sam got the feeling that Baird was angry at him for something. _Maybe one day I'll figure out what I did to offend him._ Sam thought as Baird turned to walk away, heading towards the mess tent.

"Hey Braddock. How's your arm?" Jackson asked as he saw the sniper enter the tent. The man looked beyond tired but he still carried himself like he could go another ten rounds in a boxing ring. Jackson didn't know how he did it.

"Good." Sam smiled at the Private. "How about your head?"

"I have a killer headache, but it was just barely a graze. Just enough to make it bleed." Jackson commented as he sat on his bed and took a long drink of water. "Thank you by the way."

Sam looked up from where he was unlacing his boots. "For what?"

"For saving my ass out there. I wasn't paying enough attention to my six, I would have been dead if you hadn't shot that hostile." Jackson explained as he sat cross legged on his bed.

"Just doing my job Private." Sam answered as he smiled at the younger man.

"Yeah, well you're good at it. Thank you!" Jackson said sincerely.

"Anytime kid." Sam smiled as he laid down and closed his eyes as his head hit his pillow.

Sam and Jackson had just closed their eyes to get some sleep when the rest of the Unit entered with Williams.

"Sorry men, we don't get to rest just yet." Williams was pissed. He couldn't _believe_ what the General was ordering.

"What's going on Captain?" Jackson asked as he sat up and swung his feet over the side of his bed, trying to ignore the throbbing in his head.

"We've been tasked with another mission." Williams badly wanted to sink to his bunk and sleep, but he had to ignore his desires and focus on the orders he had just received.

"What? Why?" Baird asked confused. They had just come back from a mission right after landing in country, they hadn't slept, barely eaten, and they were already going out on another mission?!

"We've been tasked with taking out a high value target." Williams explained.

"I thought our mission was to track and eliminate Deathstroke. Why are they sending us after someone else when we haven't even started hunting Akbar?" Cole asked, frustrated.

"We've been issued orders. It's not our place to question them." Williams said sternly. He agreed, this was not the mission that they had originally been tasked with. However, no matter how much he questioned the orders they were just that, orders.

"Yes Sir." Cole sank to his bed. All he wanted right now was sleep and it didn't look like they were going to get it anytime soon.

"How long till we move out?" Adams asked.

"An hour." Williams answered. "Gather your gear."

"How long are we going to be in the field?" Sam asked as he started putting his boots on once again.

"Until we get the guy. Go as prepared as you can." Williams instructed.

Sam stood and began to pack his gear. He needed to ensure that he would have enough food and water for several days if needed. He suspected he would be in a perch for the majority of the time they were gone. He held in a hiss of pain as he donned a fresh uniform shirt and added the kevlar on top of it. The last thing he did was tuck the picture of his family in the pocket of his vest before grabbing his rifle case and heading to the armory. He needed to stock up on ammo before they left.

Forty minutes later he was placing his rifle in the back of one of the two Humvee's the Unit had been assigned. He was riding with Jackson and Cole. They would follow Adam's who was driving the lead Humvee to a designated location where they would hide the vehicles. They would then hike in to the location where they were to find the target and eliminate him. Taking out the target would be Sam's job from a sniper perch about a mile and a half away from the compound. The rest of the Unit would be providing intel during the mission.

As Adam's drove Sam closed his eyes and tried to get some rest. He knew he wouldn't be sleeping from the time they started to hike to the location until after they had returned to base. He didn't sleep when in a perch, too many things could go wrong if he did.

The Unit traveled for several hours before they reached the checkpoint where they would store the Humvees. As much as he had wanted to sleep it had eluded Sam on the trip. He couldn't stop thinking about the mission and what needed to be accomplished here today. He just hoped the target showed up sooner rather than later. He was ready to get down to hunting Akbar.

After hiking for several miles the Unit stopped for a quick breather and to go over the plan for the rest of the mission. This is where Sam would branch off from the rest of the Unit and go to his perch where he would bunker down and away the arrival of the target. Once the plans were finalized Sam shouldered his rifle and headed off.

Once he reached his perch Sam unpacked his rifle, donned his ghillie suit to better camouflage himself, and settled in to wait for the man he was here to eliminate. He was dug in and waiting long before the rest of the Unit reached their positions.

Now it was a matter of just watching and waiting for their high value target to make an appearance.

* * *

"Sir, they've reached the location and are awaiting the target."

"Thank you Private. Keep me updated."

"Yes sir."

Once the Private left his office the General swiveled in his chair to face the window. He tented his hands under his chin and smiled. Things were going according to plan so far. Maybe once this mission was accomplished his son would have more respect for him, and the rank that he held. He almost laughed at the thought of how long the Unit would be in the field. He knew exactly when the target would be arriving, how long the men in Sam's Unit would have to stay hunkered down in order to eliminate the man they were sent after. He wondered if they had packed enough food and water!


	13. Mission

**SRU Headquarters - Toronto**

"Hey Jules, have you heard from Sam yet?" Ed asked as he joined Team One in the briefing room at the end of their shift.

"No." Jules sighed as she turned from the window with her hands on her hips. "I thought he'd at least call when he got there, let me know he made it safely, but I haven't heard anything from him and I'm worried."

"Don't Jules. Worrying won't do anything to help either you or him, not to mention it's not good for the baby." Spike put his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sure he just doesn't have internet. You know he'll call you as soon as he can."

"I know. I just miss him so much." Jules sniffed as a tear escaped. Spike pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. "I just feel like there is a huge hole in my heart where Sam should be. But instead he's half a world away in the General's world and at his beck and call."

"He'll come home Jules." Spike wish there was something he could do to ease Jules' pain, but he had no idea what.

"Jules!"

Jules turned at the sound of her name and smiled. Shelly and Sophie were standing at Winnie's desk and all three women had huge smiles on their faces.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Jules scrubbed her face, trying to erase the tear streaks on her face.

"We are here to whisk you away as soon as your shift is over." Shelly answered, her smile growing.

"Which is in..." Sophie fished for an answer as she looked to Ed.

"Right now. We're done for the day so you are free to go Jules." Ed smiled as he stepped up to his wife and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Go change. We're going out." Sophie told Jules. Her tone of voice left no room for argument.

"But what about Sadie?" Jules asked, needing to make sure that her daughter would be taken care of.

"We'll take care of her Jules. Spike and I are heading to my house to hang out with the kiddos while you women enjoy the evening." Ed knew that Jules needed the night out. Being at home alone with just Sadie had to be getting to her. Too many memories of her life with Sam at the house. She needed out!

Jules thought for a moment before nodding her head and silently heading to the locker room to change. They were right, she needed out of the house. Being at home with just Sadie was making her miss Sam more than anything. She had found his favorite hoodie the day after he left and it still smelled like him. She would curl up on the couch with it every night after Sadie was asleep and cry until she was exhausted. In fact, she hadn't even slept in her own bed since Sam left eight days ago.

When Jules emerged from the locker room most of Team One had already left to go home. Ed and Spike were the only ones left and they were chatting with the women.

"Okay, I'm ready." Jules commented as she joined the group.

"Great. Ed, you and Spike be good and no teaching the kids anything they shouldn't know." Sophie instructed as she picked up her purse.

"Wha...Us?" Spike asked as he put his arm around Ed's shoulder, pointed to them, and sounded extremely offended.

"Yes!" All four women answered in unison.

"Have a good evening ladies. We'll see you in _several hours_!" Ed kissed Sophie bye and Spike gave Winnie a peck on the cheek before everyone left. The women were off to babysit and the women were off to get pampered.

Ed and Spike hoped that an evening out, where she wouldn't be reminded of Sam at every turn, would be good for Jules.

* * *

**Somewhere in Afghanistan**

"So, how do you find a sniper Jackson?" Cole asked with a smirk on his face. He and Jackson had been keeping watch the last few hours and he was trying to educate the rookie while keeping them both awake. This was also a good way to engage Sam, even from this distance.

"Don't you usually find them from the muzzle flash? Or the crack from the shot?" Jackson asked as he set down his binoculars and looked at Cole.

"That would work, if you were looking in the right direction of the sniper when he fired, or if he didn't find a way to hide the muzzle flash." Cole answered as he looked at the younger soldier before turning back to the compound and his binoculars.

"Of if he fired more than one shot." Sam piped in.

"You can hide a muzzle flash?" Jackson asked curiously.

"If the sniper knows what he's doing." Sam commented with a smirk on his face. "Your best bet is to know where to look in the first place." He was enjoying this lesson immensely, despite the fact that he was starting to _really_ not like being in this perch...still.

"So what do I look for?" Jackson asked as he looked through his binoculars again.

"When shooting a specific target in a crowd it's best to be above the target." Cole answered as he looked around once again, watching for hostiles in their area.

"So somewhere high. Like a clock tower, or a tall building?" Cole asked.

"Right, or the top of a hill or cliff." Sam answered as he adjusted his position ever so slightly.

"So let's make this easy. You know roughly where Sam is positioned. Do you think you can find him?" Cole asked as he glanced at Cole.

Cole looked in the general direction of where Sam's perch was. Surely he could find the man, especially since he had a general idea where he was.

"Well, he's on the hill over there." Jackson commented as he gestured to the hill over yonder. There was a sheer drop across three quarters of the hill facing the compound that they were watching.

"Well, that's a good place to start." Cole laughed. There was a lot of places on that hill that Sam could be hunkered down. He was also really curious if Jackson would actually be able to find their sniper.

"So if you were in my position what would you look for in a perch?" Sam asked the Private.

"Well, someplace high for starters." Jackson answered as he studied the hill. "I would want to find a place that was at least somewhat defensible, but still somewhere I could have a clear view of the targets location."

Sam smiled as he glanced at the rock wall behind him. _Yeah, kid got that right at least._ Sam thought.

"What next?" Cole prodded.

"Umm...brush. Something I could hide in or next to for camouflage." Jackson suggested.

Jackson studied the hill carefully, looking for a place that looked like it might be defensible as well as had brush to hide in. He saw about three spots that he thought would work. He studied them closely to see if he could find Braddock in any of them.

"A sniper's best friend, other than his rifle, is his ghillie suit." Cole continued to explain. Jackson was catching on quickly, he liked that in a man.

"Is that the thing Braddock carries around that looks like a pile of leaves and grass?" Jackson asked curiously as he continued to scan the face of the hill.

"Yeah. It can be customized based on the location that the sniper will be perched. It helps the sniper blend into his surroundings, essentially to disappear." Cole answered.

"So I'm looking for a high, easily defensible position with shrubs where a sniper could blend in wearing his ghillie suit?" Jackson was beginning to wonder if he really could find Braddock after all.

"Exactly. The only thing you should be able to see, if you see anything at all, is the end of the barrel of my rifle." Sam commented as he resisted the urge to shift once again. His ribs were starting to protest. They hadn't had time to completely heal after the last bomb call he had with Team Two. They weren't liking his current position, or the fact that he had been in it so long.

"Okay, the one place that looks to be the best perch is at about three o'clock." Jackson commented as he studied the location carefully through the binoculars. "It's high, but not too high. The hill in front of it is a sheer drop so no one could come up on him that way and it looks like there is a wall of rock right behind it. There is a fair amount of shrubbery right there too that he could hide in as well. Not to mention the fact that I'm pretty sure his ghillie suit is for this location specifically if I remember correctly."

"So do you see him?" Cole asked, noting that Jackson _was_ looking in the right place. He was impressed, and also curious about whether or not he would actually _see_ Sam.

Jackson continued to study the location carefully. After about three minutes he sighed irritatedly.

"I don't see him anywhere. I must have the wrong spot." Jackson commented as he sighed.

Sam almost laughed as he watched Jackson. The kid had been looking right at him for at least three minutes but apparently didn't realize that he had found the sniper.

"Look again." Sam commented, shifting when he noticed that Jackson was looking right at him.

"I was right!" Jackson exclaimed as Braddock's face came into view for the briefest of moments. "I can't believe I was right."

"Great job kid." Sam praised the young man. There was hope for him yet.

* * *

"How you holding up Deadshot?" Williams asked over the comms."

"Fine." Sam answered, trying to hide his frustration.

"You still have enough supplies?" Williams needed to know if his sniper was still good to go.

"Been rationing, I've still got enough." Sam replied. In all reality he was just about out, but there wasn't anything the Unit could do about it so there was no point in worrying his CO.

"Any sign of the target?"

"Negative. I'm beginning to think that we were sent out here on a wild goose chase." Sam took a deep breath, ignoring the ache in his side. The Unit had been out in the field going on seven days now. He was beyond exhausted. It was going on eleven days since he had gotten the order to return to the Army and he hadn't really slept since that moment. Even during the couple of days he was at home he hadn't slept, instead he had watched his girls as they slept.

"It's been quiet down here too." Williams commented as he looked at his Unit. Jackson and Cole were currently sleeping while the rest of the Unit kept watch. They had been on a rotating watch schedule since the first day that they arrived which allowed them each to get a bit of rest. Unfortunately for Sam there was no one to keep watch for him while he got some rest so he had been unmoving, gazing down his scope for the last seven days.

"Wait, I have movement on the road. Three SUV's coming from the East. Could be our guy." Sam commented as he watched the vehicles approaching the compound that they had been watching closely.

"Baird, Adams, three o'clock. Three cars moving in." Williams instructed before waking Jackson and Cole.

Adams and Baird moved to where they could get a better vantage of the approaching vehicles.

"Target appears to be in the back of the middle vehicle. Driver's side." Sam commented as he adjusted his scope and studied the moving vehicles.

"Do you have a shot?" Williams asked as Jackson and Cole moved into a position.

"Negative. I'll have to take him out when he gets out of the vehicle." Sam answered.

"What about the hostiles that are with him? Won't they go looking for whoever kills their man?" Jackson asked as he observed the vehicles approaching with a cloud of dust behind them.

"Most certainly." Williams smiled, his rookie was catching on. "That's why as soon as Braddock takes the shot we need to quickly confirm the kill and exfil immediately."

"They're approaching the compound." Cole commented over the comms.

"They're slowing." Sam observed.

"I count ten hostiles gathering in front of the main building. At least six more on patrol." Jackson told the Unit.

"It's going to be a crowd once they stop. Can Braddock take one man out in a crowd?" Baird asked. He still wasn't sure Braddock really had the skills to be in this Unit. Surely it was just the General doing a favor for his son, getting him into this Unit.

"Not a problem." Braddock answered, not once moving his focus from the vehicle that was slowing to a stop in the center of the compound. Baird was right, there would be a crowd. Thankfully though his time in JTF2 before, as well as in the SRU, had kept him adequately trained in these scenarios. The only thing different now from the SRU was the distance.

"Prepare to exfil." Sam commented as he glanced at a flag in the compound and made last minute adjustments to his scope.

The entire Unit watched closely as the men in the vehicles began to climb out. They kept a close eye on their target, waiting to watch him drop from Sam's bullet.

Sam took a steadying breath. The man they had been waiting for finally emerged from his vehicle. Sam lined up his cross hairs as his finger moved to the trigger.

Jackson was closely watching the man as he emerged from the vehicle. He wanted to look to where he knew Sam was waiting but knew that he couldn't take his eye of the target. It was his job to confirm the kill. Suddenly the man's head jerked back and a small red hole appeared in the center of the target's forehead. Chaos erupted as Jackson smiled.

"Target down. Kill confirmed." Jackson informed the Unit. They immediately shouldered their gear and headed out along their pre-determined route back to Sam and the Humvees. As they moved Jackson quickly looked to where Sam was and noted that the man was already gone. _Man he's fast._ Jackson thought as he followed his Unit out.

Suprisingly the Unit made it to the Humvees and all the way back to base without being engaged. They had planned well. They had remained out of sight for the duration of the mission, eliminated a high value target, and made it out without being detected. This Unit still had it!


	14. Doctor

**JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

Sam had tried to get some shut eye on the way back to the base but sadly it was not meant to be. Each time he was about to drift off to sleep the Humvee would hit a rough patch in the road and jar him awake. This is why he simply resorted to staring at the picture of his wife and daughter. He missed them terribly and felt bad that he hadn't been able to make contact with them yet. He hoped that when they got back he would be able to call Jules.

Jackson glanced over his shoulder for the hundredth time. Braddock looked like he was about to pass out form exhaustion. The rest of the Unit had caught some sleep off and on the last few days but Braddock looked like he hadn't slept in two weeks. Cole was driving as smoothly as possible but there was just no way to completely avoid all the potholes in the road. Each time they hit one the sniper was jarred awake again. Right now he was looking at the picture of his family and Jackson hoped that the other man found at least a small comfort in that.

Cole was relieved when the base finally came into sight. They were all tired, Sam especially, and he was hoping that for once they would be allowed some down time of at least a day or more for them to all get back to peak physical condition. He pulled his Humvee up beside Adams' and the Unit piled out, gathering around and awaiting orders.

"Adams, Baird, you two are in charge of inventory and putting our gear up." Williams ordered as the Unit gathered around him. "Cole, Jackson, you two are in charge of going to the mess tent and getting food for everyone."

"Yes Sir." Adams and Baird immediately got to work on the gear. They were both ready for some rest so they decided to work quickly to get it done.

Cole met Williams' gaze and he knew exactly what he was to get for Sam. Their sniper was probably dehydrated and clearly hadn't had enough to eat in the last week or more. As this had happened a few times before he knew exactly what and how much to bring for Sam.

"Braddock." Williams turned to his friend and noted that Sam was about to fall asleep on his feet. "I'm ordering you to your bunk. I expect you to be thoroughly passed out by time anyone gets to the tent. You need sleep, and lots of it."

"I was hoping I could try and get a hold of Jules, Sir." Sam commented tiredly. He needed sleep, but he also needed to talk to his wife.

"That can wait. It won't do her any good to hear from you in the state you're in. You look like you're about to pass out. Get some sleep. You can try and call her after you've rested for at least twelve hours." Williams told Sam.

"Is that an order?" Sam asked, the exhaustion clear in his voice.

"That's an order. Now go! I have to brief Major Copeland." Williams squeezed Sam's shoulder before turning and walking toward where his CO would be.

Sam took as deep a breath as his aching ribs would allow and turned towards their assigned tent. It wasn't all that far away, but it was going to feel like a ten kilometer hike in the state he was in. He had made it about half way when his ribs started aching again. He paused for a moment, closed his eyes, and wrapped a hand around his ribs, drawing in slow breaths and willing the pain to go away. He was usually able to manage pain like this without any problem. His exhaustion must be wreaking more havoc with him than he originally thought. Well, that and the fact that he hadn't had enough food the last several days.

"Braddock?"

Sam heard his name from somewhere behind him. He turned to locate the person that had called out to him thinking that the voice sounded vaguely familiar.

"Sam Braddock?" The man asked again.

"Yes Sir." Sam answered as realization dawned on him.

"It's Captain Sanders. You saved my son a couple of weeks ago." Sanders had seen the soldier walking towards the sleeping tents and it looked like the man was in pain. When he realized _who_ it was he knew that he had to stop and help if he could, even if he hadn't officially started his duties on base yet. He had only arrived yesterday after all.

"Yes Sir, I remember. How is Tyler?" Sam asked, genuinely curious.

"He's doing well thanks to you." Sanders smiled. "He's been seeing a therapist, working through a few things, but he's making progress. We have you to thank for that."

"I didn't do anything Sir." Sam said softly.

"Yes, you did. You let him know that he wasn't alone, and that how he was feeling was okay. I'd say that's a heck of a lot." Sanders continued to study the Sergeant before him. Time to see if _he_ could help this time. "You look exhausted. Where are you headed?"

"My bunk." Sam answered simply, pointing in the direction of his Unit's tent.

"How about I walk with you. Make sure you don't fall asleep on your feet." Sanders suggested. He wasn't really giving Braddock a choice, no matter how he worded it. He was thankful when the other man simply nodded his head and turned to keep walking.

"You just coming in from the field?" Sanders asked as they neared their destination.

"Yes Sir."

"You don't look so good Braddock. I'd like to do a quick medical check before you fall asleep for the foreseeable future." Sanders told him.

"That's not really necessary Sir. I'm just tired. Nothing a nap won't fix." Sam argued. He really just wanted to sleep, not be prodded by a doctor.

"That wasn't a request soldier." Sanders said in an authoritative tone. He noted that Sam wasn't happy about it but he didn't argue further either.

Sanders followed Sam into the tent and watched as the man found his bunk and removed his gear.

"Where do you hurt?" The doctor asked as he approached the Sergeant who was now sitting on the edge of his bed.

"I never said I hurt." Sam retorted.

"No, but I saw you holding your ribs. What happened?" Sanders asked as he checked Sam's vitals.

"Old injuries. Nothing to worry about." Sam hadn't even told Williams about the injuries, why would he tell the doctor now?

"Braddock, I'm ordering you to tell me what happened and what injuries you sustained."

"It was during my last days at the SRU." Sam sighed as he started to explain. Williams was going to tan his hide when he found out. "We were on a bomb call and weren't able to diffuse the explosive in time. It exploded as myself and another Team member were trying to get away from the blast radius. We didn't get quite far enough and the force of the explosion threw me into a wall. I suffered several bruised ribs and sprained my right wrist."

"Which side has the bruised ribs?" Sanders asked as he went to gently assess their condition.

"Right."

Sanders carefully checked Sam over. The soldier's ribs were still bruised but thankfully not cracked or broken. He then checked the man's wrist and noted that it would benefit from a bit more time in a brace than it had had.

"Anything else I should know about that would contribute to you being so uncomfortable? Anything happen on a mission that would aggravate your injuries?" Sanders had a feeling that this was a bit more than just old injuries.

"We did a HALO jump the day our Unit landed in country. Then we were out in the field for right at a week. Just got back today." Sam answered.

"You're a sniper right? Were you in a perch the entire time you were out in the field?" The force from the HALO jump coupled with days in a sniper position would definitely contribute to the man's discomfort.

"Yes sir."

"Okay. I'm going wrap your wrist for now. Once you get some sleep come by medical and I'll get you a brace. You need to rest but try not to lay on your ribs. You don't want to aggravate them any more. If they start to hurt more or you start to have trouble breathing come see me immediately. You're dehydrated and obviously haven't had enough to eat the last week or so. You need to intake lots of fluids and make sure you eat. Am I understood?" Sanders asked as he finished wrapping up the solider's wrist.

"Yes sir." Sam answered simply.

"I'll brief your CO on your condition and inform him that you are not medically cleared for the field for several days." Sanders then took a moment to look at the bullet wound in Sam's arm. "What's this from?"

"A mission."

"I'll re-dress it for now and do a more thorough check when you come to see me tomorrow." Sanders commented as he stood. "You get some sleep, and make sure you come find me after you get your rest."

"Yes sir."

As the doctor left Sam shifted and laid down on his bunk, careful to avoid putting any weight on his aching ribs. Once his head hit the pillow it only took thirty seconds for his breathing to even out and he was asleep.

* * *

Williams was relieved as he left Major Copeland's office. It sounded like his Unit might get a reprieve from being out in the field for at least a couple of days. For that he was grateful as they needed time to recuperate, especially Sam. As he approached their tent he saw a Captain just leaving. The man's uniform signified that he was a doctor and Williams wondered why he was in his Unit's tent.

"Captain, is there something I can help you with?" Williams asked as he approached the other man.

"Do you happen to know who the commanding officer is for the Unit staying in this tent?" Sanders asked the Captain that approached him.

"That would be me, Captain Williams. Is something wrong?" Williams was worried.

"My name is Captain Sanders. I noticed Sergeant Braddock as he was making his way back here to the tent and he looked to be in a bit of pain. I gave him a once over for now but once he gets rest I've ordered him to medical for a full evaluation." Sanders informed Williams.

"I thought it looked like he was uncomfortable. What's wrong with him? He only has the bullet wound in his arm as far he's informed me." Williams commented. All of a sudden he got the feeling that Braddock had been hiding things from him again.

"Over the last week or so some old injuries have been aggravated and therefore causing him discomfort and a bit of pain."

"What old injuries?" William's asked.

"You don't already know?" Sanders couldn't believe that Sam's CO didn't know about Braddock's injuries.

"No. He never said."

"He has several cracked ribs on his right side and his right wrist is sprained thanks to an explosion during his last few days at the SRU. He shouldn't have been cleared for field duty for at least another week or so." Sanders explained.

"We didn't have much choice about going into the field, but I wish I would have known about his injuries. I would have known to keep a closer eye on him." Williams rubbed his hands over his face. He knew Braddock liked to downplay injuries, but knowing about them would have been a good thing.

"I've ordered him to get some sleep then come by medical to see me tomorrow. He is not medically cleared for duty for the rest of the week at the least. I'll send paperwork to whoever I need to in order to make that happen. Just let me know what offices need a copy of the forms." Sanders had determined once he saw Braddock that he would be the one to handle anything medical related for the soldier. Braddock had done wonders for his family, he could easily return the favor by looking out for the man while he could.

"Major Copeland and General Braddock will both need copies of the forms. I would send them sooner rather than later." Williams informed the doctor. Maybe if the General received the paperwork in time it would keep him from sending the Unit back into the field too soon.

"I'll have it sent over as soon as I get it drawn up." Sanders turned to walk away but decided to say one last thing before he went. "Captain Williams."

"Yes sir?"

"I would like to oversee any medical treatment that Braddock needs while you are in the area. If something happens to him just bring him to me, it doesn't matter what time of day it is." Sanders took a deep breath before allowing a sad smile to cross his face. "He saved my son not long ago, I'd like the chance to try and return the favor."

"Consider yourself his permanent medic then." Williams commented with a smile. "Thank you, for caring about him. He hasn't had many people that look out for his well being other than other than his SRU family, especially not in the Army."

"Well he deserves to be looked after. He's a good man." With that Captain Sanders turned and headed to the medical tent in order to draw up the required paperwork. He needed to get it out to the right superior officers in order to keep the Unit from being sent back out to the field before Braddock's injuries healed.

* * *

Baird and Adams had just finished inventory when Baird headed back to their tent and Adams went to help Jackson and Cole get food for the Unit. When he walked through the flap of the tent the first thing he noticed was that Braddock was the only one there, and he was sleeping.

"Why does _he_ get to sleep already and we don't? That's totally _not_ fair!" Baird muttered as he removed his gear and put it away next to his bunk. "I don't see why he get's special treatment. He's no better than the rest of us."

Baird continued to grumble as he moved around the tent and finished putting his gear, and some of the rest of the Unit's, away. He was brought out of his thoughts and complaints as the rest of the men entered, food in hand. They gathered around and enjoyed their meal as quietly as possible so as not to wake up their sniper. Baird could have cared less but their Captain insisted.

Baird determined that one day he would figure out exactly _why_ Braddock was here, and find a way to send him back to Toronto where he belonged!

* * *


	15. ET Phone Home

**JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

"Baird, what is going on with you?" Jackson asked. It was just the two of them left in the tent at the moment. Well, besides the sleeping Braddock. He had noticed Baird's attitude towards their sniper and needed to know what was going on with the man on the bunk next to him.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Baird muttered as he attempted to avoid the discussion. Sadly Jackson wasn't going to let him be.

"I've seen the way you act around Braddock. I just want to know why you despise him so much? What did he ever do to you?"

"I've spent a lot of time around kids of high ranking officers. They're spoiled, irresponsible, reckless, and all round brats. I have yet to meet one that's _actually_ a good person." Baird explained.

"They can't _all_ be like that. I mean think about it, has Braddock done anything to make you think he's like all those other kids you knew growing up?" Jackson asked as he gestured to the sleeping man across the tent.

"Getting into this Unit takes dedication, hard work, and mad skills. How do we know Braddock has those?" Baird stood and paced the length of the tent.

"How do you know he doesn't have those? You haven't even given him a chance. You haven't talked to him, gotten to know him. You have no idea what he's capable of, or why he ended up in this Unit." Jackson stood and walked towards Baird. Placing a hand on the other man's shoulder he voiced one last though. "I have a feeling that this has to do with more than just the fact that he is a General's son. If and when you wanna talk about it...just let me know."

Baird watched as Jackson left the tent. He didn't know how the other man had read him so easily. He had worked so hard and for so long to hide away what Jackson seemed to be seeing so easily. He took a deep breath as he looked at Braddock and wondered...wondered if he could finally share with someone what he had never shared before. He looked down to his boots and sighed before leaving the tent. Maybe Jackson could be the friend that he always needed.

* * *

When Sam woke the first thing that he registered was the slight ache in his ribs. They didn't hurt nearly as bad as they had when he first laid down to sleep, but there was still a dull ache. He tested his wrist and noted that although there was some discomfort there was no pain at the moment. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. As he looked around the tent he realized that he was the only one in the tent at the moment. He was thankful, it would give him a few minutes to gather himself together and get moving.

He slowly swung his feet over the side of his bed and looked at his watch.

"Sixteen hours!" Sam couldn't believe he had slept for so long. "I guess I was even more exhausted than I thought." He muttered to himself.

As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes he saw a makeshift table next to his bunk loaded down with food and beverages. There was a small note that said, 'Eat and drink every last bit. That's an order!' and was signed by Williams and Cole. "Thanks guys." Sam dug in to the spread before him, thankful for those who looked out for him.

When he finished the meal and downed several of the bottles of water and Gatorade provided he decided that it was time to get up and moving. He needed to get to medical for his evaluation from Captain Sanders then he needed to find a way to call Jules. He missed his family dearly and knew that the would be missing him too. He needed to talk to his girls.

Sam pulled on his boots and ensured his uniform was straightened and ready to go before standing and heading outside. As he stepped out the flap of the tent he paused for a moment to allow his eyes to adjust to the light before waking towards the medical tent.

"I was told to report to Captain Sanders." Sam told the Private who was sitting at the makeshift desk right inside the tent.

"Wait here." The Private stood and headed into the back of the massive medical tent in search of the doctor.

"Braddock, it's good to see you up. You look like you're feeling much better." Sanders commented as he approached the soldier.

"Yes sir. Sleep does wonders for a man." Sam smiled as he took the man's offered hand.

"Come on back. This shouldn't take long." Captain Sanders led Sam back to a private exam table and had him sit.

"Did you sleep well?" Sanders asked as he gathered his supplies and gestured for Sam to remove his shirts.

"First time in a long time I've slept for sixteen hours straight." Sam answered as he eased his tan t-shirt over his head.

"Exhaustion will do that to a person." Sanders offered a small smile before taking Sam's vitals.

"How is your family doing?" The Captain asked, remembering that Braddock had mentioned a wife and child with one on the way.

"I don't know. I haven't had time to talk to them since I was forced to leave suddenly." Sam answered with a bit of a sigh.

"That's eating at you isn't it." Sanders knew how hard it was to not be able to talk to his family. Knowing the basics of the circumstances surrounding Braddock's being here he knew that the young man before him had to be missing his family.

"I know she's worrying about me. It's not good for the baby. I just need to talk to her, let her hear my voice." Sam looked down to the wedding band encircling his left ring finger.

"Worrying about her isn't doing you any good either." Sanders commented before starting the check on Sam's ribs. "You've got to find a balance. Being concerned for them is healthy and normal. So is she being concerned about you. But let me ask you this... Is there anyone back home looking out for your family while you're gone?"

"She's got the whole of the SRU looking out for her." Sam chuckled as he answered Captain Sanders.

"And do you have anyone watching your six while you are here?"

"Williams, Cole, Adams..." Sam started to list of the names of his Unit members.

"And does your wife know they're looking out for you, just as your SRU family is looking out for her?" Sanders asked as he moved to check, clean, and re-bandage the bullet wound in the Sergeants arm.

"William's promised he'd watch my six." Sam answered.

"Then both of you need to simply trust in those who are caring for you, watching out for you, protecting you. Trust in your friends and family and this deployment will be much easier...for both of you." Sanders offered Sam a smile smile as he took off his gloves and threw them in a bin behind him.

"Thank you Captain." Sam smiled back at the doctor. He didn't know how but Sanders had just managed to put his mind at ease.

"Anytime Sergeant. Right, well, you still need to take it easy for a few days. Your ribs and wrist need time to finish healing and the wound in your arm could use some more time as well." Sanders turned and picked up the wrist brace he had already pulled out for Braddock. "Keep this brace on unless you're in the shower. You can come back in three days and I'll re-assess it and see if we can't take it off then."

"Thank you sir." Sam said with all sincerity. It felt strange and yet nice to feel cared for here in the Army. He had never had someone outside his Unit care at all about him.

"Now, one last thing." Sanders smiled as he helped Sam back into his shirt.

"Sir?"

"Go call your wife. Doctor's orders." Sanders answered and was rewarded with a huge smile from his patient.

"Yes sir. That is an order I don't mind obeying!" Sam stood and left the medical tent in search of the communications hub for soldiers who wanted to call home. It didn't take long for him to find it and he smiled as he settled into a chair and picked up the phone.

* * *

**SRU Headquarters - Toronto**

Jules lowered her head to her arms that were crossed on the table in front of her. She was exhausted, beyond exhausted actually. Morning sickness had been wreaking havoc on her body the last week and she hadn't been sleeping well since Sam left. It just wasn't the same without him. Yes, she was used to him not sleeping with her at times due to their schedule, but those times he was in Toronto. Not several time zones away where there was a war going on. All she wanted to do was talk to him...hear his voice.

"How you holding up Jules?" Spike asked as he lowered to the seat next to his friend.

"I'm hanging in there, but barely." Jules admitted as she wiped a tear from her eyes. "I just need to know he's okay."

"I know Jules." Spike pulled her into a tight hug and allowed her tears to fall.

Ed stood in the door of the Briefing room with Leah and Winnie by his side. The whole Team had been worried for Jules. They had been doing everything that they could for her, but it was hard. Jules really needed to hear from Sam, and if Ed was guessing correctly...Sam needed to hear from Jules just as badly.

Jules was pulled out of her thoughts several minutes later by her phone buzzing in her pocket. She pulled her phone out and looked at it puzzled. The caller ID showed that it was a blocked number and her stomach dropped. She stared at it for a moment, unsure whether or not she wanted to answer it. She didn't know if she could stomach it if it was going to be bad news.

"Jules? Are you going to answer it?" Spike asked as the phone rang again.

"Yeah." Jules shook herself as she hit the answer button. Spike squeezed her shoulder as she answered. "Hello?"

"Jules?!" Sam could finally feel his heart beating for the first time in eight days. He missed his family so much and just being able to hear his wife on the other end of the crappy connection made him feel alive once again, like he really could survive this deployment.

"Sam! Is it really you? Are you okay?" Jules felt the weight of the world drop from her shoulders at the sound of Sam's voice. Just hearing him on the other end of the line, knowing that he was alive was all she needed and she could finally breathe for the first time in over a week.

"Jules, I'm so sorry I didn't call sooner. This is the first chance I've had! I missed you!" Sam closed his eyes and smiled as he imagined what she looked like right this moment. Tears and all.

"I miss you too Braddock." Jules laughed even as more tears fell from her face.

"Spike." Ed called quietly from the doorway. He waited until his Teammate looked up at him before he motioned for the man to join them. When Spike finally stepped out of the room Ed hit the button on the door that would seal the room. "Let's give them privacy." Ed stated simply. '

Spike smiled and nodded in agreement. This was a time when their friends needed to be alone. Even if one of them was half a world away in a war zone.

* * *

**JTF2 Base Afghanistan**

"General. It's good to see you again." Lieutenant General Baird shook the hand of his long time friend.

"Same here." General Braddock smiled as he welcomed the other man to sit with him in his office, closing the rest of the world out so they could talk privately.

"So, I hear our sons are serving in the same Unit now." Baird commented as he took the offered drink of whiskey.

"Yes, they are. I thought it would make for interesting dynamics. Do you not agree?" Braddock asked with a smirk.

"No, I completely agree." Baird took a sip of the drink in his hand. "I'm honestly a bit surprised that they hadn't met before now."

"Well, we didn't really give them the chance now did we?" Braddock laughed.

"No, we didn't." Baird chuckled along with his friend. "They never earned the right."

"No they didn't. Maybe we can finally teach them what it means to respect those in authority over them." Braddock suggested with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe this time they'll actually learn the lesson." Baird agreed.

Both men raised their glasses at the prospect. Both agreed that their son was a sorry excuse of a man and that they had failed as a son of a high ranking Army officer. Maybe they would finally learn the lesson that their father's had been trying to teach them all these years.

Only time would tell!


	16. Family Visit

**(6 Months After Recall)**

**Remote JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

Sam glared at the computer in front of him. He had been trying for the last three months to talk to Jules, but every time he tried there was no connection. It was almost as if someone had completely blocked their communications access outside of the necessary Army communications. Sam had a feeling that he knew who was behind it, but it still pissed him off.

"Still no luck?" Jackson asked as he approached the sniper. He knew that Sam was getting frustrated with not getting to talk to his family, they all were. It seemed as though someone had deliberately blocked all forms of communications into and out of the Unit since they relocated three months ago. The silence was wearing on all of them.

"I'm just worried about her. I don't know how things are going with the baby, what Sadie is doing now that she's almost a year old, or even how Jules is holding up. I just wish I could talk to her." Sam admitted. He and Jackson had become friends over the last several months and it was nice. Now the only person he needed to figure out was Baird. The man wasn't hostile towards him, at least not anymore, but they weren't getting along very well either. Baird was tough to figure out.

"I'm sure they're all doing fine. If something happened she would have found a way to get word to you. She is just as determined as you are." Jackson laughed as he placed a hand on Braddock's shoulder. "Come on, briefing is in five."

Sam and Jackson made their way to the main tent that they used as a briefing room, and all around gathering space. They had moved to this tiny little outpost right at three months ago so that they could track Akbar from a closer distance. It had taken them the entire three months that they were here to get any leads on where the man was simply due to the sheer number of locations that he could be at at any given time. Last week they finally got a lead on his location and they were finalizing plans to go out and see if he was actually there.

Williams watched as his Unit gathered. They had finally meshed, mostly, as one Unit and for that he was grateful. It seemed like after their first week long mission Baird had thawed out a little towards Braddock. They still didn't get along one hundred percent, but things were getting better. They were finally at a point where each member knew that the rest of the Unit had their backs and that was exactly where they needed to be. The only thing that worried him now was the phone call he had received this morning. He had a feeling that it was going to throw a wrench in the unity of his men.

"Gentlemen. Our mission has been delayed for a few days." Williams addressed his men, noting the looks of frustration that he received.

"Why?" Adams asked curiously. They had finally narrowed down Akbar's location and now they had to wait to move in? "If we don't move quickly we might lose Akbar again and have to start looking all over."

"I understand that, but I don't have a choice." Williams turned to his sniper. "Braddock, you've been ordered back to the JTF2 main base for a few days. The General needs has ordered a meeting with you."

"Any idea why?" Sam asked warily. The last thing he wanted to do was to go visit the man whose main mission was to make his life a living hell.

"He only said that you were to report back to the main base by no later than noon tomorrow." Williams answered. "You can take one of the two Humvees. I'll arrange to have some supplies loaded for you to bring back with you."

"Yes sir."

Baird eyed Braddock and couldn't help but be irritated. It seemed to him like Braddock was getting special treatment again, getting to go home to visit with his father for a few days. He had just started to feel like he could really move past his resentment towards officer's sons, until now. He purposefully looked away from the sniper and folded his arms over his chest.

"So what do we do while Braddock is away?" Baird asked as he looked to his Captain. He wasn't even trying to hide his irritation.

"We stay here and train. We can't go out on mission without our sniper so we perfect the plan for our next mission and as soon as Braddock returns we'll go get our target." Williams answered, not missing the look of contempt on Baird's face. "That's all for now. Sam, let me know when you're ready to head out."

"Yes sir." Sam stood and left for his tent to gather the things he would need for the next few days. He hoped he wasn't gone long. However, as he loaded his gear into the Humvee Williams had provided him with his stomach started to churn and he had a gut feeling that he _wasn't_ going to like this 'visit' at all.

* * *

**Main JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

As Sam pulled up to the base the MP's at the gate instructed him report directly to General Braddock's residence. After receiving directions Sam quickly headed to the house the MP's had informed him belonged to the General. When the vehicle came to a stop outside Sam took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. His feeling of dread had grown over the hours he had been on the way here and as he had neared the house he felt as though he was going to be sick. Regardless of how he was feeling though the General had ordered an audience with him and one simply did not disobey an order from the General.

Sam exited the Humvee, swallowed down his emotions, and straightened his uniform, wishing he had time to change out of the dust covered one he wore but he knew there wasn't time. He grabbed his bag and approached the front door. It swung open moments after he knocked and a Private stood in the doorway.

"Sergeant Braddock, the General has been expecting you. I'll show you to your room then the General wants you to report to him in his study."

Sam followed the Private in silence. As the young man led him to the room where he would be staying Sam couldn't help but look around him at the house. It was decorated elaborately. It looked more like a politician's house back in Toronto, not an Army General's house in the middle of Afghanistan. Once they reached his room Sam deposited his bag before following the Private to the General's study. The Private knocked on the door as Sam once again straightened his uniform and informed the General that Sam was there. When the General responded Sam took a deep breath and stepped into the doorway of the study.

"Sir, Sergeant Samuel Braddock reports as ordered." Sam stood at attention, awaiting the order to enter the room.

"Enter." General Braddock ordered without ever looking up from the papers on his desk.

Sam moved into the room and stopped ten steps from the General's desk before once again standing at attention. He heard the door close quietly behind him and he took a deep breath. As he waited for the other man to acknowledge him he took in the room, ensuring he never made it obvious by being careful to not move his eyes. The General sat behind a heavy wood desk that was covered in papers and a laptop. There was a wall of bookshelves behind the desk that was filled with military books, awards, and an expansive display of challenge coins. On the walls were several framed awards and certificates. The General had no problems displaying the commendations he received during his long and distinguished career.

Sam stood perfectly still for several minutes. He was just thinking that the General would make him stand there all night when the man finally put his pen down, set his glasses down on the desk, folded his hands, and looked up to Sam.

"Sergeant, I have been informed that you have been distracted in the field recently. Care to explain why?"

"Sir?" Sam was confused. He didn't know _why_ the General would think he had been distracted. He had been putting everything he had into the missions his Unit went on. Mostly because he knew that as soon as they took out Akbar he could go home.

"I've been informed that you've been trying multiple times almost daily to get in contact with your family back in Canada. You know how distracting it can be to be so focused on things back home when you need to be focused on your mission. You've been putting yourself and your Unit at risk." The General stood and walked around his desk to stand in front of his son who still stood at attention. "You know that actions such as the ones you've been displaying recently require disciplinary measures." He leaned against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest.

Sam's heart dropped as he listened to the General's words. He would never have imagined that the man would take his efforts to contact his wife and twist them like this. He had not once allowed his desire to be back home, or to talk to his family, to keep him from focusing on his job. Yet, here the General was accusing him of just that. He knew better than to respond unless specifically told to speak though so he held his tongue.

General Braddock was almost smiling. His son had been trying constantly to contact his family back in Toronto. He would know, he had assigned someone to keep tabs on Sam's communications outside the Army. Sam's full attention needed to be on his mission, or at least what he thought was his mission. The General didn't want him nosing around and finding out the real reason why he had recalled his son. He waited patiently for the space of several minutes, relishing in the fact that his grown son was still squirming under his gaze. Even if it was all internally.

"I have determined what form your punishment will take." The General took the few steps that separated him from Sam, lowering his hands to his sides as he spoke. You are to take the punishment without complaint. You will not share your punishment with anyone else. This is an order from your General and you _will_ comply. Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir." Sam answered simply. He had a feeling he knew what was coming next and his memory told him that he was _not_ going to like it. He sorely wished he was back home with his girls, with Jules in his arms, not in this hell hole of the General's making.

* * *

**Braddock Residence - Toronto**

Jules stood at the knock on her front door. She had been sitting on the couch watching Sadie play on the floor as the child inside her moved around. She was now seven months pregnant and sorely missing her husband. It had been a challenge, coping with him being so far away, but she had managed well so far thanks to friends and family.

She smiled when she noticed who was standing on her doorstep.

"Tyler, good to see you again." Jules gestured for the teen to come in.

"Ma'am. I thought I'd come by and do some yard work for you again if that's okay."

"Thank you, that would be great!" Jules was so thankful the young man had begun to come by and help her out. It was taking a huge load off of her, and the Team, while giving him something to do at the same time. "Everything you need is out back where you left it. Just let me know if you need anything."

"Yes ma'am." Tyler Sanders smiled at her and then Sadie as he made his way out to the back yard. He quickly got to work on cutting the Braddock's grass and trimming the bushes.

As he worked he thought back over what had brought him to the Braddock's house in the first place. It was right after his dad had deployed that he told his mom he wanted to see if he could find the officer that had talked to him the day he held a gun to his parent's and thank him. They knew the officer worked at the SRU so they headed to SRU Headquarters in search of the blonde. When they arrived they met SRU's Team One. They informed them that Sam Braddock had deployed about a week prior. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. He had thought the officer had longer based of what Braddock had told him. They sat and talked with Jules Braddock, the officer's wife, for several minutes that day. She shared how she was worried since she hadn't heard from her husband since he had left. Thankfully his mom was able to talk to her and connect on a level that only a military wife could. After that day they had spent a lot of time with the Braddocks.

Tyler had decided about a week after that initial visit that he wanted to help out Mrs Braddock, to help the officer that had essentially saved his life. Ever since then he had been coming by at least once a week, if not more, to help out with yard work, house repairs, or even watching Sadie so Mrs Braddock could go to the store. Helping the Braddock's out also helped him not to miss his dad quite so much so it was a win win situation.

As Tyler clipped the branches on a bush he smiled. He had been surprised to hear that his dad had actually seen Sergeant Braddock right after he had arrived overseas. They worked out of the same base camp for almost three months before one day Braddock was just gone. His dad had found out through the grapevine that Braddock's Unit had been moved to a more remote base. His dad had promised to keep them all informed if he saw the Sergeant again as he knew that Mrs Braddock was unable to get a hold of her husband since his Unit had moved. In fact, Tyler's mom had offered to send a message to Sergeant Braddock through her husband as he would be more likely to be able to get a message to him as he was already there. What they hadn't told Mrs Braddock was that Tyler's dad thought someone was blocking communication from Braddock's Unit as they rarely heard from them.

His dad had received the package that his mom had sent on behalf of Mrs Braddock. All three of them were more than happy to help out, even if it was simply mailing a package. Tyler couldn't help but wonder if Sergeant Braddock had been able to receive the mail yet. He sure hoped so.

* * *

**Private Aircraft**

"Sir, will you require anything else?" The stewardess asked their single passenger.

"No, thank you. I just need to know how long until the aircraft lands."

"The pilot just informed me that we have entered Afghan airspace. We should be at the airstrip in approximately two hours, sir." The stewardess answered. This man made her nervous and she couldn't wait until they were rid of him.

"That will be all."

Abdul Akbar smiled as he gazed out of the airplane window. His visit to Toronto had been extremely successful. His plan was right on schedule!


	17. Punishment

**Main JTF2 Base - General Braddock's Residence**

_What the hell just happened?_ Sam thought as consciousness slowly returned. He remained un-moving as he took in his surroundings using just his senses. He didn't want whoever else may be in the room to know he was waking yet. Time to assess the situation.

First Sam used his sense of hearing. Searching for sound was the easiest way to distinguish if he was the only person in the room as well as where he may be. He listened closely as he kept his breathing even. He heard the sounds of one other person in the room. Their breathing was slow and even indicating that the person may be sleeping. However, Sam knew from experience that this was most likely _not_ the case. He remained still to be safe.

Second Sam used his sense of smell. The first scent he identified was that of blood, he assumed it was his own as it was so close to his nose. Next he branched out to take in the room. There was the distinct smell of wood, books, and... he inwardly cringed. The last scent, the one that permeated the room the most, was that of the General's cologne.

Third was the sense of touch. Sam took a moment to observe everything that was making contact with his body. He could tell that his chest was bare, as were his feet. He was in an upright position as evidenced by the hardwood floor beneath his feet. His hands were stretched over his head and he could feel the coarse rope that was tied around his wrists and held him in this position. _This is_ not _good at all._ Sam thought.

The last thing Sam did was do a physical assessment. His years in JTF2 had given him quite a bit of medical knowledge and he put it to use now. As Sam assessed himself he realized three things. Someone had punched him in the face too quickly for him to react which was probably what had knocked him out. He had also received several hits to his torso, probably from a belt or strip of leather. Lastly, there was sure to be more to come. The General never stopped after just a few lashes or hits. Sam's gut had been right, he was _not_ liking this visit to the General.

"I know you're awake Son." The General smiled as he gazed at the man in front of him. "Remember, I wrote the book on covert waking in captivity."

Sam wanted to laugh at the man. The General may have written the first edition of that book, but Sam wrote the updated version of it. He had spent enough time having to do so after all. He realized that he must have inadvertently allowed his face to show he was waking and he chided himself for allowing it to happen.

"You might as well open your eyes Samuel. Pretending to be unconscious is just going to make your punishment worse." The General stated as he stood from his comfortable desk chair and walked around to the front of the desk. He crossed his arms and leaned against the desk as he tilted his head and watched his son. When Sam didn't move for several heartbeats the General got frustrated. _Time for orders._ He thought with a smirk.

"Samuel Braddock, open your eyes right now!" The General ordered.

Sam had been putting off opening his eyes for as long as he dared. He knew his punishment was going to be worse if he didn't comply soon, however he needed to find his happy place first. He drew the picture that Jules had given him to the forefront of his mind and focused on that. He managed to do so just in time as seconds later the General commanded him to open his eyes and his military training kicked in. His eyes shot open.

"There we go. Much better." The General almost laughed. Orders worked every time. At least he had trained his son properly at some point. Now if Samuel would just follow orders more often they wouldn't have these problems. "I'm sure you're aware by now that you were knocked out. While you were unconscious I took the liberty of incapacitating you so that you could not escape your punishment. I may have also started in on it before you awoke so we will have to revisit that portion of the punishment. It's no good if you don't remember it now is it?"

Sam took a deep breath as he stared in straight in front of him. He knew from experience that making eye contact with the General without permission would gain him more lashes with the belt, or hits with a fist. He was hoping to get away with as few injuries as possible. He had to return to the field soon after all.

"I asked you a question soldier!" The General bellowed. He _would_ get an answer out of Sam if it was the last thing he did.

"No sir." Sam answered simply. He attempted to readjust how his body weight was pulling on his arms but was unable to do so. The General had tied him upright in just the right way to essentially make him immobile. The only thing he could move was his legs and he knew that doing so was risky. Not to mention it would put more unwanted pressure on his shoulders. He didn't want the General to think he was going to try to kick him at any point. That, again, would garner more punishment and Sam just wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible.

"Well, since you're awake now it's time to begin your punishment." The General stated as he picked up the leather belt that had been sitting on his desk. "For your lack of focus you are to receive lashes from the belt. May the pain remind you that you are to be fully focused in the field. Your job is to protect your Unit and for that you need to be dedicate yourself one hundred percent to your task."

Sam took a deep breath and closed his eyes for just a moment. He pictured Jules, Sadie, and the child that he would hopefully get to meet in two short months. He found his happy place as he thought of his home, his wife, and his children.

He clenched his teeth as he felt the leather bite into his flesh. His happy place, Sam just had to stay in his happy place!

* * *

**Remote JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

"What's really been bugging me is the fact that all of our intel seems to be outdated." Cole commented as he sat down on a crate next to Williams. The two men had been discussing their mission, and how the General seemed to dictate every move that they made.

"I agree. It seems like every bit of information that the General gave us was old. Like he was reading our old mission reports instead of new intel. We have yet to come across one piece of information that pans out." Williams was just as frustrated as Cole, and probably Braddock as well. "It feels like this whole mission was just a way to get Sam back in the Army."

"Exactly what I was thinking. Do you think Akbar really is out there?" Cole asked.

"He'd have to be spotted at least once. Otherwise the General could get a Bad Conduct Discharge for wrongfully recalling a soldier." Williams ran his hand across his eyes. "I've had it. While Sam is at the main base you and I are going out on some recon. We're only about three hours from the villiage where Oracle lives. Let's go talk to him and see if he knows anything." Williams suggested as he stood.

"Sounds like a solid plan. We can leave Adams here with the rookies while we go. We'll be back before Braddock." Cole stood and started to walk towards the rest of the Unit with Williams. "Maybe then we can really get somewhere with this."

Cole went to gather the gear that he and Williams would need for this mission while the Captain briefed the rest of the Unit. Cole smiled, he always had liked Oracle. They never learned his real name, they just always called him Oracle since he knew everything. Cole suspected that Braddock knew the man's real identity but no one had bothered to ask.

Ten minutes later Cole and Williams went out in search of the Oracle, the man who knew anything and everything about Akbar and his crew. Time to see if they could finally get some up to date information to work off of.

* * *

**Main JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

The General couldn't help the smile that spread across his face over an hour later. He had spent years perfecting his method. Ensuring that there was never a mark left on Sam's skin after one of their sessions. It had been a process of trial and error, however, he still remembered just what to do to inflict the most amount of pain with no marks left as evidence. As he sat back in his desk chair he admired his handiwork. He could still see the red marks on Sam's torso as they hadn't faded yet and the General knew that his son would be sore for several days.

He chuckled as he noticed Sam was having a nightmare. He had once again knocked his son out after finishing the first round of lashes from the belt. Now he sat and observed as Sam's body twitched and soft grunts came from him. He couldn't help but wonder which hellish nightmare Sam was reliving in his dreams this time. As the General watched Sam he realized that he was _slightly_ impressed with his son. When he had started using the belt on Sam the kid had screamed and cried the entire time. His son got better at taking the punishment the older he got but this was the first time that the General could remember punishing Sam with the belt and not once eliciting any sound of pain or discomfort from the man. The General couldn't help but wonder what had made his son so strong as to finally be able to keep silent during the punishment.

He leaned down to open his bottom desk drawer, withdrew his favorite whiskey, and poured himself a glass. He would wait patiently for Sam to wake up again before continuing the discipline.

* * *

**Terrorist Base - Afghanistan**

"Welcome back sir. Was your trip successful?"

"Very." Akbar smiled as he looked around at his closest confidants and brother's in arms. "I have found a location just outside of Toronto for us to use as our base for operations once we arrive. Once we have all the components necessary we can then move to the center of the city and begin the reign of terror."

All the men in the room cheered at Abdul Akbar's words. They were ready to take this fight off of their soil and bring it to the enemy.

"While in Toronto I studied the attacks that they suffered last year by Marcus Faber. He plan was very well thought out but I have made some improvements. We should be able to finish preparations and move our operation to Toronto in the next three months."

"That is all well and good, sir. But, we have a problem."

"What problem?" Akbar turned to the man that spoke just as he stepped out from the shadows.

"You have a JTF2 Team tracking you."

"So take care of the problem!" Akbar roared, angry that it had not already been done if his man knew that the special forces unit was after him.

"There is one among them that you will be interested, sir."

"Who?" Akbar asked curiously. It had to be someone he had a personal interest in if his men had decided to speak to him before eliminating the threat.

"Samuel Braddock."


	18. Allies

**Main JTF2 Base Afghanistan - General Braddock's Residence**

As Sam woke he could feel his father's handiwork all over. The man had done a thorough job of inflicting some amount of pain on almost every part of his body over the last two days and Sam wondered how long it would be until the General was through. Thankfully he had a higher pain tolerance than the General was aware of so he wasn't hurting as much as the man probably hoped he was. He attempted to stretch, as best as he could being cuffed to the bed in the guest room anyway. Not to mention he was pretty sure he had been sedated as well. He wasn't too fond of being down like this, however, it _was_ better than hanging in the General's office. At least this was some relief, no matter how small it may be.

"Major Copeland, to what do I owe this call?" The General asked as he leaned back in his desk chair in his office. The Major had better have a good reason for calling him while his Son was visiting.

"Sir, I've received word from Captain Williams Unit. They've received intel on Akbar that they need to move on. They were provided a location and if the Unit doesn't move quickly they will lose him again." Major Copeland answered. He was thankful that the JTF2 Unit had caught a break. He was hoping this meant he could get the General to allow Braddock to return to the field.

"So tell them to move in and catch the man." The General answered simply. The major didn't need his approval to send the Unit out and frankly was irritated that the man had called about so simple a matter.

"They need their sniper, Sir." Copeland commented carefully. He didn't want to invoke the wrath of General Badass.

"Why? Are they not capable men?" The General asked, clearly irritated.

"They _are_ capable Sir." Copeland answered. He hated doing this but he could only think of one sure fire way to get the General to let Braddock go, and that _needed_ to happen. The Major didn't have any concrete evidence but he had a very good feeling that he knew what was going on in the General's house this week. "The location is one that the Unit has been to before. It is where Braddock's friend was fatally wounded."

"I'll have him sent back to his Unit immediately." The General quickly supplied. It only took him a moment to realize how going back to that location would affect his son and he couldn't pass up an opportunity to torment the man. _It's his fault that..._ The General quickly locked away that train of thought as he knew it could easily get out of hand.

"Thank you Sir. I am sure Captain Williams will appreciate the support." Major Copeland quickly ended the conversation. He closed his eyes and sighed after hanging up the phone. He hated that he had to use that line of reasoning but he didn't know any other way to quickly get the General to let Sam go. However, at tone of voice the General used he was starting to question which would be better, being in the field or with an abusive father. He hoped he hadn't made the wrong call.

* * *

**Main JTF2 Base Afghanistan - Medical**

"Private?" The Sergeant asked as a young private approached as he held up a Sergeant who looked to be in pain.

"Bar fight. He needs to be cleared by Captain Sanders so he can get back to his Unit ASAP." Private Johnson answered.

"Right this way."

The Sergeant led him to the back examination room that Captain Sanders was using that day. They got the soldier settled on the bed before he left in search of the doctor.

"Hang on Braddock. Help is coming." Private Johnson said softly to the man that was barely sitting up straight on the bed.

"I'm fine Private. I need to get back to my Unit." Sam argued. He didn't need checked out by medical, he needed to get off this base, quickly.

"Not gonna happen. My brother warned me that you were a handful." Johnson laughed.

"Your brother?" Sam asked.

"Mark Johnson. Works with SRU's Team One. He loves sharing stories, including ones of other Teams. Apparently you've made quite an impression on him." Johnson clarified. "The whole of SRU is worried about you. I promised that if we ever crossed paths I'd have your back."

"Well, what do we have here?" Sanders asked as he rounded the corner. When he saw the soldier on his examination table he stopped dead in his tracks. The last person he expected to be there was Sergeant Sam Braddock, and yet here he was.

"Braddock here got into a bar fight. He needs to get back to his Unit but needs to be cleared by medical first. Can you help us out?" Johnson asked, easily maintaining the lie that he had used on the Sergeant at the door.

"Of course. I need you to step out to give us a minute." Captain Sanders commented as he checked Braddock's eyes.

"Actually, Sir, I kind of promised Braddock's family back home I'd keep an eye on him if we met out here. I'd like to stay if that's okay." Johnson asked carefully, not wanting to sound out of place talking to the Captain.

"That's fine Private." Sanders gave in after a moment of thought. If this man had promised Braddock's family to have his back then he would allow the other man to stay. Maybe the Private had a clue as to why Braddock appeared to have been sedated.

Johnson watched as Captain Sanders carefully checked Braddock out completely. He was surprised to hear that the Sergeant had been drugged and it took both he and the Captain to convince the man to stay in the bed until the drug completely wore off. It took the mention of how driving in his condition was unsafe and you never knew _what_ would happen if you ended up falling asleep between here and the base where his Unit was located. Finally, after several minutes, Braddock was sleeping on the examination table. It was then that the Captain asked him to join him in his office, he had some questions.

"A bar fight huh?" Sanders asked as he and the Private each took a seat.

"No sir. I saw him walking from General Braddock's residence with an overnight bag. He looked to be out of it, and in a bit of pain if I were to be honest. I'm not sure he remembers but he gave me your name right after we reached his Humvee. I didn't know where else to take him, or who to talk to, so I brought him here." Johnson explained. He knew that he could really trust this man by the look of concern on his face.

"You did the right thing Private. Not many people out here are looking out for the Sergeant. He needs all the friends he can get." Sanders stood and paced across his small office a couple of times as he thought. "I need you to do me a favor."

"Yes Sir, anything." Johnson quickly agreed. If it helped Braddock he would do it.

Sanders smiled as he went to his desk and retrieved a manila folder from the bottom drawer. "I need you to get this into Braddock's gear bag. It's from his wife whom he hasn't heard from in a few months. I don't want him to have it here, he needs to be able to open it away from prying eyes. Can you do it?"

"Of course Sir!" Johnson took the manila folder and tucked it into his shirt. He knew he could easily slip it into Braddock's bag when he took the man back to his Humvee.

"Thank you! Now, once he's slept off the remainder of the sedative I'm going to release him back to his Unit. I need you to sit with him until that time. I can't as I still have rounds to make but I don't want him here alone."

"Not a problem Sir." Johnson shifted to attention.

"That will be all for now. If anything changes in his condition do not hesitate to come find me." Sanders ordered before both men turned and left the Captain's office.

* * *

**Main JTF2 Base Afghanistan - Medical**

It was several hours before Sergeant Braddock began to stir. Johnson was relieved as it meant that Braddock would be able to finally leave the base and get back to his Unit. It didn't take long for a person to realize that the base here was no place for Braddock to be, there were too many people out to get him here. He was safer out in the field.

Sam immediately recognized that he was in medical the moment he began to wake. Base medical tents and buildings always had a distinct smell of disinfectant about them that he had learned to hate during his time in the Army . The reason was because it meant that if he was in medical he had been injured, and that always brought punishment from the General. As he slowly became more aware he continued to keep his breathing even as he once again took in his full surroundings.

He seemed to be in a bit more of a private location as there wasn't as much noise around him. There was one other person in the room. They were sitting next to the bed that he was in. He was thankful that it wasn't the General. The man's distinct cologne was missing and that caused him to breathe a bit easier. Sam realized that his body felt heavy, as if he was just coming out of some kind of sedation and he struggled to recall what had happened to cause it. A moment later he had to keep from moving as he recalled the lashes from the leather belt, the feel of fists pounding into his flesh, then the pinch as a needle injected the sedative into his system. He focused intently on his breathing, making sure the other man in the room was not aware he was awake yet, until he was ready to face whatever was going to come next. He was pleasantly surprised by what he heard next.

"How is our patient doing?" Captain Sanders asked as he re-entered the room where Sergeant Braddock was sleeping off the effects of the sedative he had been given.

"I thought he was going to wake up a few minutes ago, but nothing yet." Private Johnson answered as he glanced back at the man in the bed. "Should we be worried?"

"No Private. The drug should just about be out of his system. Once it's gone he'll regain consciousness but I don't expect him to let us know he's awake for several minutes after. He's JTF2 after all and they are the masters at stealth. You won't know he's awake until he wants you to. Serves them well when in the field, gives them the element of surprise." Sanders laughed.

"Well, his Humvee is loaded and ready to go when he is. I know he's got to be ready to get back to his Unit."

"All he has to do is wake up and he's free to go." Sanders took a deep breath. "Please send for me as soon as he wakens."

"No need." Sam whispered as he struggled to open his eyes. He had to blink several times as the light from the room invaded. "I'm awake."

"Sergeant, how are you feeling?" Sanders asked as he moved to check Sam's vitals.

"Groggy, but it'll wear off soon I think." Sam answered as he struggled to sit up. "Water?"

Johnson quickly grabbed a glass of water for Braddock and brought it to him, thankful for the opportunity to actually be helpful.

Sam gratefully took the offered glass of water and drank it all in one shot. He resisted the urge to sigh as the cool liquid coated his dry throat. This was the first real drink he had had since arriving at the base over two days ago. "Thanks." He muttered to Johnson.

Johnson recognized how thirsty Braddock was by the speed with which he downed the water in the cup. He refilled the cup and brought it back to the man who offered him a thankful smile before downing the second glass.

Sanders did a quick check of Sam's vitals to ensure that it was safe for him to drive. If it had been any other patient he would insist that they stay in medical for several more hours to ensure the drug was completely out of their system. However, he knew that Braddock needed to return to his Unit for two reasons. First, so that the Unit could continue with their mission and eliminate the man they were sent here to track down. Second, to get him away from those on this base who were out to get him. From what he had gathered Sergeant Braddock was not safe here.

"So am I good to go?" Sam asked as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"I would normally make you stay here a few more hours to ensure the sedative has worn off but I know you need to get back to your Unit." Sanders answered. He pulled a letter he had prepared out of his pocket and handed it to Braddock. "Give this to your CO. It explains a bit of what happened and what to watch out for in the next several hours. Make sure you give it to him when you get to your Unit! In the meantime drive carefully. Stop if you feel you need to. Don't overdo yourself for the next few hours. Am I understood Sergeant?"

Sam was about to argue about the necessity for a note when Sanders pinned him with a glare. He realized that the Captain wasn't giving him an option. He was being given an order.

"Yes Sir." Sam finally answered.

Sanders smiled softly once Sam agreed with his terms. He had thought the man would balk at the need for the note to his CO but apparently Braddock had a bit more sense than he thought.

"Good. Your Humvee is loaded with supplies and ready to go. I've added some extra medical supplies for your medic in case they are needed or his supply has run lower than expected. If anything else is needed just give me a call here and I will get the supplies to you as soon as possible." Sanders led Sam out to the front of the tent, making sure he wasn't still suffering any effects from the sedative as they walked.

"Thank you Sir!" Sam turned to the man, the sincerity clear in his voice.

"You have allies here Braddock. We'll always have your six." Johnson commented as he handed the keys to the Humvee to Braddock.

"Drive safely Sergeant." Captain Sanders commented as Sam climbed into the Humvee. "I don't want to see you back in my care for quite a while!"

"Yes Sir!"

As Sam drove away from the base he couldn't help but smile. For the first time since Matt he finally felt like he had allies in the Army, someone outside his Unit to watch his six , someone he could trust and turn to in times of need. As he drove towards the remote location where his Unit awaited him he finally felt like he could take a full breath again. As much as he missed his family and friends back home he was starting to develop relationships here as well, and those would help him get through until he could see his family. Until he could go home.


	19. Healing Old Wounds

**Remote JTF2 Base Afghanistan**

Williams kept a close watch on the direction Braddock would be coming from. He had received the message from the Major that their sniper was finally on his way back and Williams knew that he should arrive shortly. As soon as their sniper got to their little base of operations they would quickly unload the gear in the Humvee and head out for their mission. Their window to catch Akbar, or Deathstroke as they liked to call him, was closing quickly. He smiled when he saw the tell tale sign of dust being raised in the distance. He estimated that they had five to seven minutes before Braddock arrived.

"Heads up, Braddock's five minutes out. All hands on deck to unload supplies from the main base and load up the gear for the mission." Williams called to the rest of the Unit.

The men all gathered from their various places around the small camp and converged where Captain Williams was standing. They were anxious to get going and Baird had been less than pleased that they had had to wait for Braddock to show up in the first place. _He must have been enjoying time with his family too much._ He thought as he stood with his arms crossed over his chest. He had just started to get along with the man when Braddock had been given permission to visit the General, his father. Now the sniper was back on his list of people he didn't like.

Braddock let out a sigh of relief when his Unit's small camp came into view. Even though the General was still calling the shots he had at least a bit of distance from him here. The General couldn't watch his every move when they were in a remote location like he had when they had been at the main base. As he drove the remaining distance he couldn't help but think of Jules. She would be almost eight months along by now and he desperately wished he could be there for her. However, from the way things were going he was starting to question whether or not he would be there for the birth of his child. He had hoped to get a chance to call her when at the main base but the General had seen to it that that was not possible. He just wanted to talk to Jules, see if she was okay, see how Sadie and the baby were doing. He didn't even know if he was going to have another daughter or a son!

As he pulled into the small camp Sam could easily see that the Unit had been awaiting his return. From the look on Williams' face they were about to head out on another mission. A mission was perfectly fine with Sam. Sure, he was still a bit sore from the General's handiwork, but, getting out on a mission was exactly what he needed to get his mind off of things.

"Braddock, glad you made it back safely." Williams greeted the Sergeant as he got out of the Humvee.

"Sir, sorry it took so long." Sam apologized. He had hoped he would be back within twenty four hours of leaving the Unit. That had clearly _not_ happened.

"Nothing to apologize for." Williams turned to the rest of the Unit. "Cole, you come with me and Braddock for a quick brief on the mission. The rest of you unload the supplies and get our gear loaded. We leave as soon as transportation is ready."

Sam grabbed his overnight bad that he had taken and followed Williams and Cole for a briefing on the mission they were about to leave on. Once inside he handed Williams the letter from Captain Sanders. The other man simply nodded before tucking it away to read once the briefing was finished.

"Sam, this is going to be a tough mission. Especially for the three of us." Williams stated as they gathered around the conference table.

Sam looked up at Williams and met his eyes. The man never called him by his first name unless it was bad. _This must be really bad!_ Sam thought as he noticed the look of concern mirrored in Cole and Williams' eyes.

"What's going on guys?" Sam asked curiously, a feeling of dread creeping up on him.

"We were able to find Oracle." Cole piped in. He could tell Braddock was onto them, he knew something was up. _We have to break the news sooner or later._ He thought as he took a deep breath. "He was finally able to get us a lead on Akbar."

"You know he's not always been straight with us. You can't always trust what he tells you." Sam warned. They had learned that the hard way once before when Oracle's intel led them straight into an ambush. There was even a rumor going around that he was a double agent of sorts, providing intel to his Unit _and_ Akbar at the same time.

"We know that, but we haven't had any new intel on Akbar since we came out here. In case you didn't notice, most of what the General told us was old news." Williams commented.

"That's why we're going extra careful on this one. We will break into two teams of three." Cole continued as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You'll take up a sniper perch and provide overwatch cover. We'll send Jackson and Baird with you for protection." Williams said. "The rest of us will go down range and scope the place out."

"Leaving me with the rookies huh? Are you sure that's smart?" Sam asked, he hadn't missed Baird's attitude towards him and knew that the other men in the room hadn't either.

"Considering the location, and the threat potential, we think it's best." Williams answered.

"What's the location?" Sam asked curiously. He could think of a few places that extra caution would be warranted.

Cole unfolded the map on the table to reveal the location that they were heading for. He closed his eyes for a moment when he heard Sam's sharp intake of breath.

"No." Sam whispered as he looked at the map. "I can't go back there." Sam took three steps back as his eyes never left the map before him. He had worked so hard to bury the memories. He and Jules had spent quite a bit of time ensuring that they were securely dealt with and then he had locked them away. If he went back there now all their hard work could potentially be undone.

"We have no choice Sam." Williams placed a gentle hand on Sam's shoulder. This was the last place he had wanted to make Sam go, but they had no choice. This is where they were told Akbar would be.

"But..." Sam started to argue, his eyes still riveted on a spot on the map.

"Sam." Cole joined Williams and placed his hand on Sam's other shoulder and spoke softly. "What happened there, it wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was. It was my bullet!"

"You were given the all clear to fire. You didn't know." Williams argued back.

"I should have... I should have looked closer. Taken one more second on the scope. Never fired at all!" Sam shut his eyes tight against the memory of that fateful day and took a deep breath. "If I had Matt would still be here, and you guys wouldn't hate me." Sam finished in a whisper.

"We don't hate you Sam." Williams said softly. Sam's words were like a knife to the gut. He knew that the Unit hadn't responded well after Matt was killed. However, he didn't realize until just now how their reactions were probably what had driven Sam away from them.

"You never trusted me after that. You only spoke to me when necessary. How could you not hate me after I blew my best friend's brains out?" Sam asked, trying desperately to keep a handle on his emotions.

"Sam, we didn't know what to do after the incident. You were so heartbroken, we didn't know what to say or do to help you!" Cole said, concern clear in his voice. "We were so consumed with our own grief, and worried that anything we said or did would hurt you more, that we just shut you out. We know now that it was wrong but we didn't know what else to do at the time."

"We _never_ hated you Sam. We hate the man that gave you the order to fire. It's _his_ fault, no one else is to blame." Williams knew for a fact that the man in charge of that mission was fully aware that Matt was still in the line of fire. They were all wearing tracking devices for that exact reason. It was like the man _wanted_ Sam to kill Matt that day. It was just one more thing to hate the man for.

The three soldiers stood in silence for several minutes, each consumed with their own thoughts. None of them were looking forward to this mission, to going back to the place where one of their friends, their brother, was killed. But it was a necessary mission. They still had a target to eliminate and they _had_ to follow any lead that they came across. This mission would be hard for all three of them, of that they were certain. But maybe, just maybe, it would also help three brothers reach a healing point that had been out of their grasp for years. Maybe this would finally help them move on.

"So, what's the plan?" Sam finally asked as he drew in one last shaky breath. He hated being this emotional. It was time to lock that part of him away and become the war hardened soldier once again. Then and only then would he be able to accomplish this mission.

"Due to the location we're breaking up into two teams as I mentioned." Williams answered, relieved that they could move on, at least for now. "It's a tight location so only three of us are going in. We're leaving the rookies with you to help keep a look out for trouble."

"I bet they were so thrilled about that." Sam laughed.

"Yeah, Jackson is actually excited about it." Cole chuckled. He didn't mention Baird's reaction to the order. "We'll go in and case the place. If Akbar is there we will relay the information to you so you can take him out."

"Another reason we're leaving two with you is so that they can help you watch the place. There are a lot of hiding places at this location and you can't easily watch them all _and_ have our backs. They're there as backup for not just you, but us too." Williams explained. "If Akbar isn't there then we will move on and try and figure out other locations he could be. I'm tired of being one step behind this man. It's time we take him out!"

Sam moved forward and studied the map closely. The last time they had gone there he had had days to prepare, to decide on his perch. He knew with a quick glance that he had made the right decision last time. He would need to bunker down in the same sniper perch he had used the day he killed Matt. He sighed.

"How long until we move out?" Sam asked as he looked up and met Williams' eyes.

"As soon as you're ready." Williams answered. He was happy to see Sam's determination return.

"I need two minutes." Sam stated as he picked up his bag.

"We'll be ready."

Williams and Cole watched as Sam left the tent and headed to his own bunk.

"You think he'll be okay?" Cole asked as they watched their friend walk away.

"I think we've finally mended the rift between us. We really messed up years ago, but I think we all see now why things turned out the way that they did." Williams turned to look at Cole. "This mission is going to be hard, on all three of us, but I think we've finally healed some old wounds."

"I just hope Akbar is actually there!"

"Me too." Williams took a deep breath. "Let's button things down and get going."

Sam dropped his bag onto his bunk and took a deep breath. _Help me Jules. I need you with me today!_ Sam thought as closed his eyes for a moment. He knew that if he could just hold Jules for a moment then he could easily finish this mission. But, she wasn't there so he had to do this on his own.

"No, not on my own. I have my Unit watching my six." Sam reminded himself quietly as he opened his eyes. He pulled out the picture of his family and allowed the smallest of smiles to appear. He just had to finish this, then he could go _home_!

Sam pulled off his uniform shirt to replace it with a fresh one from his bag. As he pulled the item of clothing out he noticed a manila envelope with his name on it. He was about to reach for it when he heard Williams calling him from outside. He didn't have time right now to find out what was in that envelope. It would have to wait for him to get back. He quickly finished changing his shirt and grabbed his sniper gear from under his bed, replacing it with his overnight bag. As he turned to join the rest of his Unit he finally felt relived. This mission was going to be hard, but he, Williams, and Cole had finally talked about what happened on that day several years ago. They were finally healing old wounds. For the first time since he had fired that shot he felt like he might actually be able to move on, to heal completely!

Sam sat in the back seat of the Humvee and stared at the picture of his family as the Unit drove towards their mission. _Soon my sweet family. I'll be home soon!_


	20. Gut Feeling

**SRU HQ (AKA 'The Barn') - Toronto**

"Morning Jules!" Winnie greeted enthusiastically as the very pregnant female SRU officer walked down the hall.

"Morning Winnie." Jules smiled as she lowered herself to the chair next to their dispatcher.

Jules had been pulled out of the field due to her pregnancy several weeks ago. She had been sad about the decision, she loved her job, but she also knew it was best for the baby. She now worked with the dispatchers during calls, helped inventory, file, and a whole bunch of other things. It wasn't her favorite thing in the SRU to do, however it kept her at work instead of home worrying about Sam, which in turn was bad for the little one she carried. She also spent two days a week with Sarge in the Academy guest speaking about negotiation techniques with the cadets there. She realized that if she ever had to leave the SRU then the Academy would be the place she would want to go.

"How are you and the kids doing?" Winnie asked as she passed a headset to Jules. She couldn't wait to meet the newest little Braddock!

"Good, Sadie's been crying a lot this week. She misses her Daddy. And this little one won't let mommy sleep at night. Thinks it's playtime." Jules laughed as she rubbed her belly fondly.

"Have you heard from Sam?" Winnie asked cautiously. The whole of SRU did their best not to bombard Jules with questions about Sam as they all knew it was hard for Jules to talk about him, but that didn't mean that they weren't worried.

"I heard from Mrs. Sanders this morning." Jules answered as she logged into the computer system. "She said that the Captain saw Sam and delivered my package to him. He was on his way back out to the field though so I probably won't get to talk to him anytime soon."

"At least you know he's doing okay." Winnie commented as she pulled Jules into a side hug. "He'll be home before you know it!"

"I hope so!" Jules commented.

She didn't tell Winnie but Jules had been uneasy all morning. Mrs. Sanders had messaged her very early this morning to let her know that Captain Sanders had seen Sam and ever since then her gut had been nagging her. Something was going on with Sam, she just didn't know what. She desperately wished that he could be home, with his family. Not in some sniper perch in a remote location in the middle of a war zone. She needed her husband back!

Jules was pulled out of her thoughts as a 911 call came in and she and Winnie proceeded to assist Team Three with their Hot Call. Today was going to be a long day, she just knew it.

* * *

**Undisclosed Location - Afghanistan**

Sam shifted the pack on his back for the third time since they had started their hike. It kept irritating his still sore ribs and he was trying to keep it from making things worse. Normally carrying his pack, sniper rifle, ghillie suite, and sidearm didn't bother him. However, his body was still adjusting the the beating he had received from the General so it made the ten kilometer hike that much more uncomfortable for him. Sam knew he didn't have a choice though so he sucked it up and kept moving. They would reach their destination soon and he, Jackson, and Baird were about to break off from the rest of the Unit to take up their sniper perch. It was just about time to get down to work.

"Hold." Williams ordered as he looked carefully at the area around the Unit. Once he decided this was a safe place he lowered his pack to the ground and took a knee facing the rest of the Unit. They followed suit. "Five minute rest then we'll finish the hike."

Everyone gratefully took out their canteens and a small snack, each keeping a close watch out as they rested.

"How you holding up?" Williams asked softly as he turned to Sam who was on his right.

"Fine." Sam answered simply. He wasn't one to complain and he wasn't about to start now.

"I meant physically." Williams commented, noting the quick answer Sam gave him probably wasn't the whole truth.

Sam looked up and met the eyes of his Commanding Officer and friend. Williams had read the note from Sanders.

"Sore but I'll be fine. It's nothing that will affect my ability to do my job." Sam stated, his eyes never leaving those of Williams.

Williams held Sam's gaze for a moment before simply nodding.

"From here we maintain strict mission protocols." Williams said as he looked to the rest of the Unit. "No names, handles only. Stay vigilant. We have an enemy out there that would be more than happy to kill us all if given the chance. Let's not give him the opportunity. Deadshot, you, Flash, and Atom head to the perch from here. Remember, you guys are providing overwatch for the rest of the Unit. Keep alert at all times and watch Deadshot's back. Understood?" Williams looked directly into the eyes of his rookies. He had to be sure before he would let Braddock go off with them as backup.

Both rookies answered with "Yes Sir" before shouldering their packs and preparing to move out.

"Hawkman, Firestorm, and myself will move in from the east. Keep us up to date of hostiles in the area." Williams pulled his own pack on. "Remember, anyone sees Deathstroke you immediately inform Deadshot of his location so we can take him out once and for all. Deadshot, you have the kill order if you ever find Deathstroke in your sights."

"Yes Sir!" Sam was more than happy to put a bullet between Deathstroke's eyes.

"Move out." Williams ordered and the Unit split into two teams.

* * *

**Terrorist Stronghold - Undisclosed Location - Afghanistan**

"Sir, the JTF2 Unit is moving in just as we hoped." Ali stated as he entered the room.

"Good. Are the men in place?" Akbar asked as he turned towards his informant.

"Yes sir. Just awaiting the order."

"Tell them to hold their position. Wait until the Unit clears the compound and begins the return trip to join the rest of the Unit." Akbar smiled. "They will think their mission is over and will not be as vigilant. _That_ is when we strike!"

"As you wish." Ali bowed low before turning to do as he was told.

Akbar smiled as Ali left the room. Things were going according to plan. He knew he had made the right choice those many years ago. Ali had served him well, as a son, a second in command, and as the Oracle.

* * *

**Sniper Perch, Undisclosed Location - Afghanistan**

"How far to our perch?" Jackson asked quietly as he hiked just behind Braddock.

"Just over the ridge." Sam answered with a hint of a smile. Private Jackson reminded him of himself when he first joined JTF2. Sam just hoped that the young man wouldn't have to endure as much in his lifetime as Sam had in the few years he had been in the Army's elite special forces Unit. He wouldn't wish that on anyone.

As the three soldiers topped the ridge Sam did a quick check to ensure that it really was a secure location before taking a knee and pulling his gear out. He'd want to make sure he had everything he needed on hand since he wouldn't move from his spot once he settled in.

Baird watched as Braddock took his rifle out of it's case and prepped it. He had seen the man with his rifle several times, however, this is the first time they would be in a perch together. As much as he disliked Braddock he was anxious to see just what a sniper did on a mission.

Jackson smiled as Braddock donned his ghillie suit. He knew from the experience of trying to find their sniper in a perch that once the suit was on Braddock will be essentially invisible. It always made him smile knowing that Sam was watching his back no matter what. The fact that the other man was incredibly, deadly, accurate with his weapon helped too.

Once Sam had his ghillie suit on he moved into position so he could see the majority of the compound. It was a long distance away, but he knew from experience that he could make a shot from here and hit his target. He had managed to hit Matt right between the eyes after all. _Stop thinking like that Braddock. It wasn't your fault. You were cleared to fire._ Sam scolded himself as he took a deep breath, adjusted his rifle slightly, and settled in behind the scope. He could hear the two rookies settling in around him but he ignored them, focusing instead on the rest of the Unit as they moved in.

"No sign of hostiles." Sam commented over the comms. He had carefully scanned the compound, and the ground the men would have to cover to get there. There was no one in sight, at least as of yet.

"I see no sign of movement in the buildings." Jackson commented. He thought it strange that they were supposed to find the head of a terrorist group here, and yet there was not one single person in sight.

"Maybe they just haven't arrived yet?" Baird asked as he too scanned the compound.

"Possible. You guys keep your eyes peeled." Williams ordered. He was thankful that things were going well so far, however, he had a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen on this mission. He hoped his gut was wrong this time!

* * *

**Terrorist Compound, Undisclosed Location - Afghanistan**

As Batman, Hawkman, and Firestorm cleared the buildings Atom, Flash, and Deadshot kept watch. There was no movement in the compound or the area surrounding it the entire time the Unit was on scene.

"Looks like Oracle gave us some bad intel." Adams commented as he rejoined the other two men.

"I don't like this, something isn't right." Williams stated as he anxiously looked around him.

"What's wrong Batman? Your gut telling you something?" Cole asked as he looked to his friend and CO.

"Let's get out of here. Deadshot, status?" Williams called as the three soldiers began their two kilometer hike back to the rest of the men.

* * *

**Sniper Perch, Undisclosed Location - Afghanistan**

Sam watched through his scope as Williams, Adams, and Cole met up outside the final building of the compound. They had done a thorough search of the buildings and had found no sign of life. He had a feeling they had been set up, again.

"I'm really getting tired of bad intel." Jackson commented as he scanned the area around the compound once again. They had, once again, recieved a bad piece of intelligence and therefore had spend hours out on a mission that had gotten them nowhere. He was sick of this!

"Private."

Jackson looked up at the sound of Baird's voice. The other man had just gone to relieve himself, which Braddock was clearly irritated about, and had just returned. What confused Jackson though was the fact that Baird has used his rank. Not his name, or his call sign. When he looked up to where the other man stood his heart stopped beating and his breath caught in his throat.

Sam recognized the change in Jackson and was about to turn around to see what was going on when he heard Williams call out for a status. A split second later he felt the barrell of a gun pushed against the back of his head.

"If you so much as _think_ about doing anything we will blow both of their brains out onto these rocks. Do you understand me?" A voice, thick with an accent said menacingly behind him.

Sam simply nodded his head to indicate that he understood.

"Good, now slowly put your hands behind your head." The voice ordered.

Sam slowly took his hands off his rifle and swung them out to his sides, bringing them around to rest against the back of his head. As he did so he heard Williams call out a status once again, the concern extremely evident in the Captain's voice.

Someone roughly grabbed Sam's hands and bound them behind his back before yanking him to his feet. When they turned him around he could see that Jackson and Baird had already been bound and all their gear had been removed.

"Take his suit off."

Sam met the eyes of the man that had been speaking to him and wanted to put a bullet between his eyes right then and there. Standing before him was the Oracle. Sam had known that trusting him had been a huge gamble. Apparently they had lost this one.

As Sam glared at the man before him he heard yet a third call from Williams demanding a status. From the sounds of it the rest of the Unit was already heading his way. He just had to buy them time. Unfortunately he wasn't sure he could buy enough time for the three men to hike the two kilometers to their location.

"Oracle, nice to see you again." Sam said to the man as his ghillie suit was cut off of him. It took a bit longer to do since his hands were bound behind him. He figured he had less than a minute.

"You as well Deadshot." Oracle grinned at his captive as he stepped closer. "It has been a long time. How have you been my friend?"

"Great!" Sam answered simply. "I was actually headed to see Superman once we were done here."

"Well you will have to apologize. You won't make it to see him today."

At that someone hit Sam in the back of the head and he fell unconscious to the ground. His last thought being _I'm sorry Jules!_

* * *

**En Route to Sniper Perch, Undisclosed Location - Afghanistan**

_"Great! I was actually headed to see Superman once we were done here."_

Williams heard Braddock's answer and he poured on the speed.

"Deadshot's in trouble!" Williams called as he and the other two men moved as quickly as they could. He was afraid that they weren't going to make it to the men in time.

"How do you know?" Adams asked as he ran behind Cole and Williams.

"Deadshot just said he was planning on going to see Superman soon." Cole answered.

"So?"

"So, Superman has been dead for years. He died in the compound below." Williams answered simply.

"Superman was Deadshot's best friend, Matt." Cole added, just as they heard a grunt from Sam.

They weren't going to make it. They were already too late!


	21. News

**Main JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

Major Copeland hung up the phone and lowered his head into his hands taking a deep breath. This was the last news he had ever wanted to have to share...for a second time. After a shaky breath he looked up, gathered his resolve, and stood. He had to tell the General. _Might as well just get it over with._ He thought as he headed towards General Braddock's office. He seriously dreaded this conversation!

* * *

**SRU Headquarters - Toronto**

As Greg walked into the SRU he scrubbed his free hand across his face for the hundredth time since he had gotten off the phone. He knew that he had to do this, but it sure wasn't going to be easy. As he noticed Jules sitting at the dispatcher's desk he paused and took a deep breath. _Might as well get this over with._ He thought.

"Sarge!" Jules called happily when she saw her good friend and father figure walking down the hall towards her. "Sarge?" Something was obviously wrong with Greg, she could see it now that she really looked at him.

"Greg, what brings you to the barn?" Ed asked as he and Spike walked towards the dispatchers desk where Winnie and Jules sat. They were just about to leave after a long shift. It only took him a minute to realize that something was wrong with his friend.

"What's wrong boss?" Spike asked as when he noticed the look on Greg's face.

"Jules, can we go to the briefing room?" Greg asked as he looked at the woman he considered a daughter. They needed privacy for this conversation.

"Team One's done in there and Team Two is out on patrol so it's empty." Winnie commented, not missing the look on Parker's face.

"Thank you Winnie." Greg offered a small smile but everyone could easily see that it didn't reach his eyes.

Jules slowly stood from her chair and made her way to the briefing room with Greg, Ed, and Spike close behind. She had a really bad feeling about this. In fact the feeling hadn't left her since she spoke with Mrs Sanders early this morning. The dread just intensified when Greg walked in and she saw his face.

Ed pulled out a chair for Jules and waited until she had lowered herself into it before taking a seat on her left with Spike next to him. Greg sealed the room then paced for a moment before turning to face them.

"Jules, I received a phone call from Major Copeland about twenty minutes ago." Greg started as he placed both hands on the cane in front of him.

"No!" Jules cried. "He can't be... I'd know."

"Jules, Sam is alive." Greg quickly stated once he realized where her thoughts had gone. "He's not dead." _Yet._ He thought sadly before quickly pushing that thought aside.

"Then what is going on?" Jules demanded as she angrily wiped the tears that had escaped. "You look like you just heard that he is dead, but you're telling me he's not. What is going on?!"

"Sam's Unit had received some information about their target. They were given a place and a time and were guranteed that the man would be there. So the Unit went." Greg explained. "The mission didn't go as planned. They walked right into a trap." Greg placed a gentle hand on Jules shoulder and looked her in the eyes.

"Sam was taken captive with two other members of his Unit." Greg finally said, despising the fact that he had to tell her this news. Sam was supposed to be home, with his wife, daughter, and unborn child. Not in some terrorist prison cell somewhere having who knew what done to him.

Jules stared at Greg. She couldn't understand what Greg was telling her. Sam was fine. Captain Sanders had spoken with him just this morning. Surely Greg had been given incorrect information.

"No, he's fine. They're wrong. He's just holed up somewhere, safe. He'll find his way back soon." Jules argued, needing to believe it was true.

Ed just watched Jules. He hated that this had happened. When Sam left they had hoped that the target he was after would be quickly found and eliminated allowing Sam to come home to them. Now he was in enemy hands and no one knew what would happen to him. The more he thought about the situation, and the fact that it was the General's fault to begin with, the more his anger boiled. Only Jules sobs were able to break through the barely contained rage. She was clearly having a hard time processing the information and Ed suddenly worried for the baby. As Greg lowered himself to a chair next to Jules Ed quickly hit the intercom button and told Winnie to call EMS.

Spike sat staring. _This can't be happening to Sam. It just can't!_ Spike thought as he thought about the many things that could be happening to his best friend. He didn't know if he could lose another friend after Lew. That had been hard, watching your friend get blown up. Right now though, Spike realized that there was one worse thing. It was knowing that your best friend was in the hands of one of the most well known terrorists and could be having any number of things being done to him. Spike could feel his stomach churn just at the thought of what could be happening to Sam. He had to quickly bury those thoughts though as he saw the state that Jules was in. She needed them, here. Not off imagining what _could_ be happening to Sam.

"Jules." Greg whispered softly as he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. He knew that nothing he said would make this easier on her. This hurt, so very much! Jules and Sam were family. All of Team One was. But seeing them go through this, the pain, the worry, the uncertainty. It was all about to do him in.

"Jules, Sam's going to be okay." Ed whispered as he knelt down next to Jules. "He's strong, determined, and he has you here waiting for him. He has every reason to fight every single moment to come home. He's not going to give up until he holds you, Sadie, and your baby in his arms. You have to believe that! Sam's a fighter, he's not going to stop fighting now!"

"I just need him to come home!" Jules sobbed into Greg's shoulder. "I need my husband back!"

"I promise you that Sam's Unit is doing everything that they can to find him and bring him home to you Jules." Spike spoke up. He needed to believe that, with everything in him, or he would break down and lose it.

The Four officers sat holding each other and allowing the tears to flow for several minutes. Each believed that Sam would fight with everything in him to come home. They just wondered if it would be enough.

* * *

**Sniper Perch Outside Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan**

Williams was doing every thing he could to keep his rage in check. He had already called Major Copeland and that man had been just as furious at the news that Braddock, Jackson, and Baird had been taken as he was. They had already lived through this hell once, doing so again was more painful than the first time!

"I lost the tracks about half a kilometer out. The terrain turned too rocky. I'm sorry Batman." Adams said as he joined the other two soldiers.

All three men were furious. They had been too late to stop half of their Unit from being taken by the worst terrorist that they had hunted to date. This man would do anything to get what he wanted and if the last time was any indication brutal murder didn't even phase the man. They had to find their guys, quickly.

"Let's head back. There's nothing left here for us to do." Williams instructed as he started to gather the gear of his three missing men. His heart had sunk when he reached Braddock's sniper position to find his men's gear left behind and no sign of the men themselves.

"We'll find them Batman!" Cole placed a hand on his commanding officer's shoulder.

"We have to!" Williams commented as he met Cole's eyes.

"I know, and we will!"

"Come on, let's go. If we hurry back I might can find how and were our guys were taken via satellite." Adams commented as he shouldered Braddock's rifle.

"You can do that?" Cole turned to Adams.

"If I can do it fast enough. I know what general direction they went in. Depending on how fast we get back I might be able to find the vehicle they are using. If it's still moving that is." Adams commented as he turned to start the hike back to the Humvee. "Won't hurt to try at least."

The three soldiers quickly hiked back to their Humvee and returned to their remote base. They needed to find their men, ASAP!

* * *

**Somewhere in Afghanistan**

The first thing Sam realized was that his head was throbbing. _Why do people keep hitting me in the head to knock me out?_ Sam thought as he pushed down the pain in order to take in his surroundings. He was in a moving vehicle based off of the swaying of his body. What puzzled him for a moment, however, was how he was positioned in the vehicle. His arms were stretched over his head and he was in an almost standing position. _They must have my hands tied to the roof of a truck._ He realized as there was no other explanation for his current position. He suddenly realized that Baird and Jackson had been taken as well and he wondered if they were in the truck with him. He would wait another moment before opening his eyes, he just had to get past this wave of nausea before he did.

Jackson watched Braddock closely. He was concerned that the other man was suffering from a concussion due to the hard hit the sniper had taken to the back of the head. He hoped the man woke up soon so they could find out the damage done.

"I still can't believe you let us get found." Jackson finally spat at Baird. They were both standing in the back of the moving truck with their hands tied to the roof just as Braddock was. Surprisingly, though, there were no hostiles riding with them. He knew that they wouldn't be far away.

"Oh! So this is _my_ fault then? What about Braddock? If his head had been on the mission he would have known there were hostiles around. But instead his head was with dear old _Daddy_ instead of on the mission and we were compromised."

"How do you know his head wasn't on the mission?" Jackson asked furiously. "He was watching the rest of the Unit, covering their asses. _You_ were the one who didn't listen and compromised our position. There was nothing he could do! His eyes were on the scope, exactly where they belonged. _We_ were supposed to have _his_ six!"

"What do _you_ know about being a sniper? You're just a _Private_!"

"Enough." Sam whispered. He could tell from the voices that it was just the three of them in the back of the truck and he was tired of hearing the other two men argue. "It's no ones fault! They were waiting for us and would have taken us no matter how vigilant we were."

"How do you know?" Baird spat angrily.

"Because they've done it before." Sam stated simply before closing his eyes once again.

Sam knew what was coming and he dreaded it. No matter how quickly the Unit found them it was going to be the longest days of their lives. Oh how he wished he could be home in Jules embrace!


	22. Revelation

**Terrorist Compound, Unknown Location - Afghanistan**

Sam pushed away the feeling of nausea as two men roughly pulled him from the truck that he, Baird, and Jackson had been transported in. He looked around, hoping to get a clue as to where they had been taken. Unfortunately it looked like the truck had pulled into a warehouse of sorts and therefore he had no clue where they were. He hoped that the rest of the Unit had found a way to track them.

Jackson observed his surroundings as they were led down a long hall and into a dark room. There were only a couple of lights hanging from the ceiling in the center. Along the back wall was what looked to be a large cell and the center of the room was empty except for a drain in the floor. He couldn't help but wonder what it was for. As they were led past the drain he noticed a hind of a blood stain around the drain and his stomach dropped. He suddenly realized what this part of the room was used for...torture.

Baird winced as the man guiding him pushed him roughly into the cell in the back of the room. The man had a tight grip on his arm and he realized he was going to be sporting quite a bruise there in the next few hours. Their captors lined all three of them up in the middle of the cell and proceeded to tear the shirts from their bodies and remove their boots and socks before cuffing them to the wall with thick metal shackles. With one look Baird knew that they wouldn't be getting out of these easily. He followed the long chain to where it was anchored in the wall and knew that pulling it out would not be possible either. They were stuck here until they could either pick the locks on the cuffs or were rescued.

Sam stood shackled to the wall between Jackson and Baird and watched their captors as they left the room. He was doing his best to ignore the fact that the room was spinning but if he didn't sit down soon he would lose that battle. He knew he had a concussion, the question would just be how bad it was. He knew if he were home they would want him to spend the night in the hospital for observation. Since that wasn't possible he knew he had to just rest as much as possible. That is why he went to the wall and sank to the cold floor once their captors had left the room, locking the door behind them. He closed his eyes, hoping to keep from dry heaving as he grounded himself. _Pull it together Braddock._ He thought. _These kids are going to need you to be strong for them. Jules and Sadie need you to come home. You're going to have a new baby to meet soon. Just keep it together._ Before he knew what had happened he drifted off to sleep.

"I'm worried about Braddock." Jackson commented as he moved to where Braddock was sitting on the floor. He had just enough chain on his shackle to where he could kneel beside the other man, but not any more than that. He carefully reached out to feel for a pulse. "I think he's got a pretty bad concussion."

"He's probably just faking it. Making them think he's hurt so they won't do anything else to him. He'll snap out of it." Baird commented as he sat against the wall and pulled his knees to him.

"I don't think so. He got his pretty hard in the back of the head. You should come check it out." Jackson commented as he looked at the blood on the back of Braddock's head.

"He's fine Jackson. Just leave him alone." Baird mumbled. He couldn't believe they had been captured. Everyone said Braddock was a badass. Apparently that was all just words and not founded in truth because if he _was_ a badass he would have fought off the terrorist that took them.

Jackson glared at Baird as the other man turned away from them. He couldn't believe it! Baird was the medic. He of all people should be concerned about Braddock. Jackson had thought that Baird was warming up to Braddock but that clearly was not the case. He silently wondered what it would take for there to be trust between the two.

"Please, just look at the wound on the back of his head. Batman would tan our hides if he knew we hadn't checked it yet." Jackson pleaded. He thought that maybe if he brought their CO into the equation Baird might actually give in.

"Fine!" Baird spat out. The last thing he wanted to do was help a General's son, especially after he had gotten to go home and spend time with dear old dad. He had always envied those who had a good relation with their father, Braddock was no different.

Baird moved over to where Braddock was passed out. He had a feeling that sleeping in a place like this was something that the other soldier didn't normally do. _Maybe there's something off with him after all._ Baird thought. He checked the wound on the back of Braddock's head, his vitals, and did a once over without ever waking the other man.

"He had a pretty bad concussion. We should wake him every few hours, just to make sure there isn't any permanent damage." Baird commented as he was finishing his check of Braddock. As he got to the other man's chest he paused. "What's this?" He asked himself quietly.

"What?" Jackson asked curiously. Baird actually sounded somewhat concerned for once and that surprised him.

"These marks. They're fresh." Baird answered as he pointed out a couple of marks on Braddock's chest that were bruising nicely.

"What are they from? Did they hurt him more than we thought when they took us?" Jackson asked.

"No. These are older than just a few hours. These were inflicted before we started our mission." Baird did a more thorough check of Braddock's head, back, and chest and noticed a few more marks like the ones he found on the man's chest.

Baird sat back on his heels and simply stared at Braddock. The events of the last few days coming back to him. Braddock's reaction to being ordered back to the main base. Having to wait a couple hours longer than anticipated for the man to return. The look of relief on Braddock's face when he arrived back at their small base. The way Braddock was careful to position himself in the sniper perch and continually readjusted his position ever so slightly throughout the duration of their mission. It was all abundantly clear to him now.

"Aw man Braddock. I'm sorry!" Baird muttered as he balled his fist at his side.

"What's wrong Baird?" Jackson asked, concern clear in his voice.

"I've misjudged Braddock from day one." Baird admitted.

"Yeah, I've been trying to tell you that."

"No, I mean _seriously_!" Baird looked to the Private. "I've thought he was a spoiled General's son who got whatever he wanted. I just realized that I couldn't be more wrong."

"How'd you figure that out?" Jackson adjusted his position so that he now sat cross legged across from Baird. He was glad the other man was finally coming to his senses, but he couldn't understand what had finally changed his mind.

"The General abuses him."

"How do you know that?" Jackson looked between Braddock and Baird as he tried to understand.

"The marks on his chest and back. They are about twenty four hours old. They are also made by a belt buckle." Baird explained as he pointed to one of the marks on Braddock's chest. "Apparently the General wasn't as careful as he should have been." He muttered.

"How do you know he didn't just get in a fight and get his ass whipped?" Jackson asked.

"Have you once seen him lose in sparring with any member of our Unit?" Baird asked with a hint of a smirk.

"No."

"Have you ever seen anyone in our Unit get beat by someone else?"

"No." Jackson was beginning to see where Baird was going with this.

"So you honestly think that Braddock would get bested in a bar fight?" Baird asked, noting that Jackson was finally following his train of thought.

"Good point." The two men sat in silence before another thought popped into Jackson's mind. "If those marks are made from a belt buckle, then what are the other's from?" He pointed to a couple of very faint scars on Braddock's chest.

"These are several years old. It's hard to tell exactly what they're from." Baird answered simply.

"You shall find out soon enough." A voice said from behind them.

Jackson and Baird spun to look at the door. The man had entered so silently, they didn't even hear the door open.

"I have spent some quality time with Mr Braddock in the past. I am thrilled to have the chance to spend more time with him yet again."

Both Jackson and Baird recognized the man as Abdul Akbar, their target.

"Before I reacquaint myself with your sleeping friend I would like to get to know you both." Abdul motioned to someone outside the door.

Moments later a bench was brought in with a bucket. One man filled the bucket from a faucet in the corner that neither soldier had noticed before while the other placed the bench over the drain in the middle of the floor.

"So, who would like to go first?" Akbar asked as a wicked grin spread across his face.

Baird and Jackson suddenly knew exactly what had caused those faint scars on Braddock. Torture.

* * *

**Remote JTF2 Base, Undisclosed Location - Afghanistan**

Williams finished packing his gear into the Humvee with a sigh. He and Cole had been working constantly since they had returned to their little base to pack up their gear. They had to relocate. As much as he trusted his men he couldn't risk Akbar finding their location. He turned back to the tent where everyone had been bunking down. He jut had to pack up Braddock's things then they could go. As he walked towards the tent he heard Adam's swear loudly once again. The man was having no luck tracking where the terrorist took their men and it was pissing them all off.

As he gathered Braddock's things he laid them out on the snipers bed in order to make packing them easier. The man hadn't brought much, it would be easy to pack. Reaching under the bed Williams pulled out Braddock's smaller over night back and opened it to start packing when he noticed a manila envelop on the top of the clothes inside. He pulled it out and looked at it closely. On the front of the envelop was simply Braddock's name and rank. What caught his attention though was the feminine handwriting and the hint of perfume that still clung to the envelope.

"Aw Braddock." Williams sighed as he replaced the clearly unopened envelope. It was evidently from the other man's wife and Williams' heart sank at the thought that his friend was so close to hearing from his family when he had been taken. He _had_ to get his men back, and soon!

* * *

**Main JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

General Braddock slammed his fist on his desk. This was _not_ what he had wanted to happen! Yes, he had wanted Samuel back in the Army, but not at the mercy of Akbar. He stood and paced his office for several minutes before an idea surfaced.

"Private!" The General bellowed. Moments later his secretary appeared at his door.

"Yes Sir?"

"I need to speak with the man in charge of the SEAL Team stationed at the U.S. Army base. Immediately!" The General ordered.

"Yes sir."

He knew it was a long shot but maybe the SEALs could help find his men, especially since Williams' Unit was down by half. He also knew he had to tread carefully if he didn't want certain things to come to light. He could be court marshaled and receive a bad conduct discharge if the top brass got wind of some of the things he had done to get Samuel back into the Army. He also knew he had to talk to his friend Baird. Both of their sons were captive together, they might have some damage control to do once the men were rescued.

"Dammit Samuel, why did you allow yourself to get captured?!"


	23. Introduction to Torture

**Terrorist Compound, Unknown Location - Afghanistan**

Baird wanted to sink into the wall behind him as Akbar's gaze landed on him. He clearly saw the bench in the center of the room. He saw the bucket of water sitting nearby. He saw the restraints in the hands of Akbar's men. He knew what was coming and he wanted to get as far away from it as possible. Waterboarding was something he had hoped to never personally experience. However, from the look on the terrorists face he was about to.

Akbar turned to his two men and nodded in Baird's direction. Both men stepped forward and entered their cell and Jackson knew that the torture was about to begin. He could tell just by looking at Baird that the man was scared, whether he would ever actually admit it or not. He watched as the men approached Baird and as one held a gun to Braddock's head the other unshackled Baird and led him to the center of the room. The men didn't have to say anything. Both he and Baird knew that these men would not hesitate to shoot Braddock if they did not carefully and immediately follow their instructions. As Jackson watched his friend we felt his own sense of dread grow. There was no doubt that he would be next.

Baird held in a grunt of pain as he was painfully pushed down onto the bench. As Akbar's men laid him down he thought over his training, trying to draw upon that to get through what he knew was coming. Once he was laying down on the inclined bench straps were placed across his forehead, chest, hips, and legs. Then they took four more straps and immobilized his hands and feet. They clearly didn't want him struggling. As he looked up he saw Akbar smirking over him and knew his tormentors were about to begin.

"We will start with basic information. I just want your name and rank." Akbar said simply as he tilted his head slightly to the right.

Baird bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying anything. He knew that as soon as he started talking it would be more difficult to keep from saying something he shouldn't. He simply glared back at Akbar as he tried to keep his breathing even.

"It is a simply question soldier."

He maintained eye contact with Akbar even as his heart rate increased and his breathing grew faster. It was a mere matter of moments before water would be poured in his face. Baird knew the moment Akbar lost patience with this question and he easily noticed the nod from the terrorist to his men. Five seconds later water was being poured slowly over his face.

Due to the thirty degree angle of the bench, and the fact that his head was at the lower end of it, the water flowed easily into his nose. Baird remained as still as possible as his sinuses filled with water. At this moment he was extremely thankful for the angle of the bench that he was strapped to as it kept his lungs elevated and severely limited the changes of water entering his lungs. Once his sinuses were full of water Baird simply focused on holding his breath, even as the men continued to pour water over his nose and mouth. They were trying to make him feel like he was drowning. What they didn't know was that once his sinuses were full of water it was much easier. All he had to do now was hold his breath.

Even though he could have held his breath for longer the men stopped pouring the water over his head after twenty seconds. Baird spit and coughed out what water he could and took in several deep breaths of air. His body was thankful for the oxygen and he enjoyed the moment of sweet relief. Until Akbar stepped into his line of sight again.

"Let us try this again. Simply state your name and rank soldier." Akbar stated.

Once again Baird simply locked eyes with the man and determined not to say a word. As was the case before it didn't take long before the men began to pour water over his nose and mouth.

This process repeated several times. Each time Akbar would ask for his name and rank, Baird would lock eyes with the man and not say a word, more water would be poured over his face in an attempt to get him to talk. Each time Baird was able to hold on and not give in, to survive the water torture. However, after five rounds he was beginning to wonder if he would be able to survive it even one more time. It was getting harder and harder to recover between each session.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity Akbar stated that he was only going to ask one more time. Baird hoped that this meant that the torture was almost over. This time, however, when the water started to fill his sinuses he felt as though he was going to vomit. Thankfully he was able to hold it down until the water stopped flowing. The men then released his hands and he rolled off of the bench onto his hands and knees, hitting the cold hard floor with a thud. He then proceeded to vomit violently for a several moments as his body protested. Once he stopped heaving the men drug him back to the cell, shackled him back to the wall, and moved to Jackson.

Jackson watched as Baird was dumped unceremoniously onto the floor of the cell and shackled to the wall. The other man clearly had no strength left and it made him worry for how we would handle his own waterboarding.

"Find your happy place and trust your training." Sam whispered as he saw the look of terror flash across Jackson's face.

Jackson quickly turned to Braddock who was laying next to him. The other man had not once moved, or indicated that he was once again awake, and Braddock's voice had startled him.

"Believe in yourself. You can do this." Sam stated just before Akbar's men grabbed Jackson and drug him to the center of the room, not even bothering to close the cell door.

Once he was strapped down to the table Akbar approached and asked him for the same information he had just tortured Baird for. Name and rank. Jackson was determined to keep just as silent as Baird had. He took a deep breath and thought of his little sister, his happy place.

Sam watched as Jackson was waterboarded in front of him. He had only seen half of Baird's torture, he had still been unconscious from his concussion. Even now it was difficult keeping his eyes open as his head was still pounding. However, he _was_ awake enough to know that both Jackson and Baird were doing well, all things considered. He had worried how each man would respond once the torture began. Now he realized that as of yet he had no reason to doubt their abilities. They had been trained same as he had been. If they each trusted their training then surviving this would be much easier.

Jackson vomited before he even hit the floor. He hated the feeling of drowning, and of vomiting. He was pretty screwed on both counts at the moment. Right now he was simply thankful that this particular torture was over. He could finally breathe again and that alone brought relief. Even if he could barely move from lack of strength. Akbar's men grabbed him and dumped him on the floor of their cell and locked the shackle around his wrist once again. Not that it really mattered, none of them had the energy or strength to move at the moment. He laid his head against the cold, hard floor and took several deep breaths. He heard Braddock softly whisper that he had done a good job before that man was also drug from the cell.

Baird was proud of Jackson. He knew how hard it was to endure that particular water torture and the young man across the cell from him had done well. He met eyes with Jackson, silently asking if he was going to be okay. He felt the corner of his mouth raise a bit in a small smile at the other man's determined look. They had survived and would continue to do so. They both turned back to the center of the room where Braddock was now facing the terrorists, curious as to how the injured man would hold up. They were _not_ expecting what would come next.

Sam held back the bile that rose in his throat as the men pulled him from the cell. He knew the nausea would eventually ease, but unfortunately it hadn't yet. His concussion would make the waterboarding harder to endure.

"Hello again Master Corporal. It has been a long time my friend." Akbar smirked as he came to stand directly in front of the soldier.

Baird and Jackson looked to each other. Akbar clearly had outdated information. Braddock was now a Sergeant, had been for six months. Baird had to keep from laughing as he suddenly realized why the men holding them were asking name and rank. The only identifying piece that any of them had on them were their dog tags, none of which had been looked at as of yet. Each time the Unit went on a mission they 'sanitized' their uniforms. They wore nothing that identified them as Canadian, Special Forces, Name, Rank, etc. It all came off. The only way they had of identifying them were by their dog tags and those didn't bear their rank. Now he understood why they sanitized each mission.

"I won't bother asking you for your name or rank. We've been over that before. What I _would_ like to know is what you are doing back in my country?" Akbar crossed his arms in front of him as he gazed at Sam. "I seem to remember you leaving several years ago and you had not been seen on Afghanistan soil since."

Sam held Akbar's gaze. This man knew more about him than the General did. That was saying a lot. There was no need for him to bother answering any of his questions.

"Well, as you will not willingly give me the answers I seek we shall see if you can still hold out as long as you did years ago."

Akbar nodded to the men holding Sam and he was shoved down onto the bench. He was bound to the bench just as the other two had been save for the strap across his head. Sam knew the reason for this. His torture was going to last longer and they didn't want him to drown in his own vomit. He glanced to his side once the men had finished immobilizing him and he noted that one was now attaching a hose to the faucet on the wall. They wouldn't be using the bucket this time. They would use the hose. Sam took in a few deep, steadying breaths as he anticipated what would be coming.

 _My happy place, I just have to go to my happy place and trust my training._ Sam thought as the hose approached, water already flowing from the end. _Help me Jules. Help me through this because I can't do this without you._

Moments later the hose was brought to Sam's face and the torture began.

* * *

Baird moved to where Braddock lay motionless on the floor of their cell. The terrorists had just dumped the other man on the floor and replaced his shackle, locked the door, hosed down the center of the room, and exited with all the equipment that they had brought in. The only sound in the room now was that of Braddock's ragged breaths. Baird quickly checked Braddock's pulse, eyes, and listened to his lungs to see if they had any water in them. Thankfully it didn't sound like they would have to deal with that, this time.

Jackson had been very surprised at how long Braddock had endured the water torture, despite vomiting several times. It seemed like Akbar and his men had spent over an hour trying to drown the man next to him. He knew it hadn't really been that long, but it sure had felt like it. He watched closely as Baird checked Braddock over.

"How is he?" Jackson asked once Baird sat back on his heels.

"He'll pull through. He's really weak from all the vomiting, not to mention he's still getting over his concussion. His head has to be pounding right now." Baird answered as he looked at the man in front of him. Braddock was still awake, but only barely.

"Is there anything we can do?" Jackson asked.

"No." Sam whispered as he stared at the roof above him.

"Braddock..."

"I'm fine Jackson. Just need some rest." Sam answered. "How are you two holding up?"

"How can you be worried about us?!" Jackson asked surprised. "We should be worrying about _you!_ "

"The only way we can survive this is by working together. Looking out for each other." Sam paused to take a couple of breaths. "So I'm asking you both...how are _you_?"

"I'm good. We'll all have a cough for a couple of days at least but no water got into my lungs and I'm still as determined as ever to not give them anything." Baird answered determinedly. He wouldn't give these terrorists what they wanted, even if it cost him his life.

"Same here. I'm exhausted but nothing I can't handle." Jackson finally answered as well. He figured that if they could put Braddock's mind at ease then that man would recover faster as well.

"Good. Get as much sleep as you can while you can. They'll slowly pick up the pace of the torture and you'll get less and less time to recover." Sam instructed as he pulled himself to a seated position against the back wall of the cell.

Jackson and Baird moved to lean against the wall as well and each man sat in silence for several minutes before Baird had to ask the question that was nagging him.

"Braddock?" Baird asked as he turned his head to see the Sergeant.

"Yes?" Sam answered, his eyes still closed.

"You knew what these men wanted the moment we were taken. You told us they were going to torture us. Akbar said he knew you, that it had been a long time since he had seen you." Baird stated as he watched Braddock closely.

"You want to know how." Sam stated. He didn't have to ask, the question was clear in Baird's voice.

"Yes."

"About a year and a half before I was discharged from the Army my Unit was ambushed and three of us were taken captive by Akbar and his men." Sam answered slowly, seeing the events of that day as if it were happening all over again. "We were held and tortured for two months before the rest of the Unit found us. The other two men didn't survive the torture."

"That's how he knows you then. He tortured you before." Jackson observed.

"Yes." Sam answered. He drew in a deep breath and opened his eyes, looking at each man. "I know almost every form of torture that Akbar uses. He knows my strengths and weaknesses. We both know how determined I can be and he will work a hundred times harder this time to break me."

"How do we get through this then?" Jackson asked, the fear evident in his voice. He didn't know if he could do this. What if he didn't survive this?

"Help each other. Encourage each other. Don't let anyone give up because as soon as you decide you can't go anymore you will lose, you will die." Sam adjusted his position. "Believe in your training. Believe in your own strength and ability to get through this. And most importantly...believe that our Unit is doing everything in their power to get to us. They won't leave us and they won't forget us. They will come for us! We need to be ready when they do."

"We fight together." Baird whispered.

"We fight together." Jackson echoed.

"We fight together, and we survive this!" Sam stated, he was pleased to hear the determination in the voices of the other two men. They could do this, together.

Baird leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. He felt like this was his first day in SERE training all over again. He almost laughed. _Welcome to Introduction to Torture._ Class had officially begun.


	24. A Miracle

**Lane Residence - Toronto (2 months after capture)**

"How are you holding up Jules?" Sophie asked as she sat down on the couch next to her friend.

"As good as can be expected I guess." Jules answered as her breathing finally returned to normal.

"Anything I can get for you?" Shelly asked worriedly.

"My husband?" Jules knew that neither woman could bring Sam home, but she desperately needed him right now. Needed to know he was safe, and whole, and _home._

"Oh Jules!" Both Shelly and Sophie pulled Jules into a hug. They each wished that they could give Jules good news, but unfortunately that had received no word over the last two months.

Sophie could still clearly remember that day two months ago when Ed called her. It had shocked her to hear that Sam had been taken as a POW in Afghanistan. She had immediately called Shelly and they both rushed to the Barn to be with Jules. Ever since then Jules had been on bed rest, for the baby. The doctors didn't want the stress of her job, coupled with that of Sam being MIA, to harm the baby. Jules and Sadie had been staying with their SRU family ever since. Once of them was always with her. Sophie rose at the sound of a knock on the door.

"Winnie, glad you could make it." Sophie pulled Winnie into a hug. She had become just as much a part of the family over the last couple of years as anyone else.

"How is she holding up?" Winnie asked curiously as she entered the Lane household.

"As good as can be expected. The contractions are starting to get more frequent and last longer. I suspect her water will break any minute now." Sophie explained as the two women walked to the living room where Shelly and Jules were currently sitting on the couch.

"When do we need to take her to the hospital?" Winnie asked.

"We still have time." Shelly commented as she rubbed Jule's back. "The contractions aren't close enough together yet, and her water has yet to break."

"I need to walk." Jules commented as she struggled to stand. Her nine month pregnant belly making it quite a challenge.

She slowly walked to the kitchen, the other three women close behind. As Jules walked she rubbed her belly fondly. "Daddy would be here if he could little one. Just know that he loves you and wishes he could be here to hold you when you finally come out. He's going to get quite a surprise when he comes home and you're already here. You're going to love him, your father. He's strong, smart, funny, loving, kind, caring...everything you will need in a daddy. He'll teach you to build things, to get along with your sister. One day he'll teach you how to shoot a gun too. He's going to teach you how to treat people, that other people are important too and sometimes they need to be protected." Jules paused and gripped the edge of the kitchen counter as another contraction gripped her.

Shelly, Winnie, and Sophie all watched and listened as Jules talked to the baby. Everyone had hoped that Sam would miraculously make it home in time for the birth of this child, unfortunately that wasn't going to happen it seemed. All three women wiped tears from their eyes as Jules told the baby about Sam. About what an amazing man and father he was, is, and would be. Shelly shook herself to clear her mind when Jules stopped for another contraction and went to her, gently rubbing her back and whispering words of encouragement as the mother breathed through the next contraction.

"You're doing great Jules. You'll be there soon." Sophie encouraged as she offered a glass of water once the contraction subsided.

"Thank you, all of you." Jules looked to each of her friends. "You've been there for me so much the last eight months since Sam left and you've taken Sadie and I into your homes. I wouldn't have made it this far without you!"

"We will always be here for you Jules. Don't you ever forget that!" Winnie smiled as she placed a hand on Jules arm in encouragement.

"You won't ever have to do anything alone. We promise!" Sophie added.

"That's what family's for after all." Shelly smiled.

Jules pulled each woman into a hug as thanks.

"Sorry Soph." Jules laughed as she hugged Sophie.

"What are you apologizing for now?" Sophie asked as she pulled away so that she could look at Jules.

"For the mess that I just made on your kitchen floor." Jules smiled. "My water just broke."

* * *

**Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan (2 months after capture)**

Sam coughed as a second bucket of water was dumped on him. It was cold, he hadn't gotten much rest lately, and Akbar's men were about to start another round of torture. He was beginning to wonder if this would ever end.

Jackson watched as Oracle took the lead on the torture for today. The only reason he could come up with for this was that Akbar was away and he couldn't help but wonder where he had gone. They had yet to learn anything from their captors, just as their captors had yet to learn anything from them. He hoped that soon they would be rescued and that they would be able to gather up to date inteligence during their escape. They really needed to get ahead of Akbar and his men, and so far, they weren't.

Baird had been keeping a close eye on Braddock the last several days. Three days ago Akbar had tied Braddock to a chair and had his men beat him with their fists in the search for information. The other man had sustained several bruises, bruised if not cracked ribs, and a split lip. Thankfully there had been no lasting damage. Today, though, the men had brought in a metal frame that stood on the floor. It actually reminded Baird of a queen size bed frame rigged to stand on end. They had tied Braddock to it and had just dumped two buckets of water onto him. As Baird noticed the other item that had been brought in he cringed. This was not going to be easy to watch, or listen to.

As Sam waited for the torture to begin he did his best to find his happy place. He grasped at memories of Jules and Sadie and held onto them with all his might. As he waited he realized how long he had been gone, how many months it had been. It suddenly hit him. Jules would be nine months pregnant now. She would be having their baby any day and he wouldn't be there for her. He didn't even know if she was having a boy or a girl! As Oracle came to stand in front of him he took a deep breath, pulling to the front of his mind his favorite picture of Jules and Sadie, and met the other man's eyes. He was extremely thankful that their information was outdated, his family was safe from this mad man.

"Corporal Braddock, we have been having difficulty getting you to give us any information. That is why today we are going to try something new, something a bit more...persuasive."

Baird watched as one man connected wires to the bed frame. The wires were attached to a generator nearby. They were about to electrocute Braddock!

Sam stared at a spot on the wall directly in front of him. He didn't look at his captors, his torturers, or his Unit mates in the cell before him. He focused on one stone in the wall that was a darker color than those around it. If he could keep his mind off of what was going on around him then maybe, just maybe, he could get through this.

"All I need you to tell me today is the location of the base your Unit is working out of. If you give me that then I will stop this pain before it starts and you will live another day. If you do not...well... let's just say I wouldn't want to be in your place."

Jackson could feel his heart rate increase at the impending torture that Braddock was about to endure. He wished there was something he could do to keep it from happening, but there was no way. It was out of his control. He also wished he could figure out why they mostly tortured Braddock. He and Baird had only been brought out a handful of times. That was just one more thing he added to his list of things to find the answer to. He hoped that list didn't get much longer.

"Will you give me the information I seek?"

Silence was the only answer that Sam gave. He would _never_ give this man what he searched for. No matter the cost. Too many lives were at stake.

Without warning the generator was turned on and the electric current flowed through the wires, into the metal bed frame, and on into Sam's body. Everywhere flesh touched the frame his body stung from the current entering him. As the current passed through him his body went completely rigid, unable to move even if he were free. It felt like white hot waves of lava were coursing through his veins. His head felt as though he had been punched in the face so hard he could literally feel it in his brain. His heart raced and he could barely breathe. It felt like it lasted an eternity, but in reality it was only a few seconds. As the current was turned off he took in several ragged breaths. There was pain throughout his entire body and had he not been tied to the bed frame he would have collapsed on the floor beneath him.

Sam focused intently on his breathing. Using sniper breathing he was able to lower his heart rate and even out his breaths after a minute. He was thankful for the reprieve, however, he knew it wouldn't last long. The sessions would increase in length and intensity. He had managed to keep silent during this first shock but he didn't know how long he would manage. Today was going to be painful. He retreated once again to his happy place, pushing the pain to the back of his mind as he focused solely on his family. This was going to be a _long_ day!

* * *

**St. Simon's Hospital - Toronto (2 months after capture)**

Jules loosened her grip and tried to focus on her breathing. Sniper breathing would get her through this, she just had to remember to actually do it. As the pain from the last contraction subsided she looked to Sophie who stood next to her.

"Hey, how you holding up?" Sophie asked as she took Jules' hand carefully, making sure Jules wouldn't break any fingers if another contraction hit and her grip tightened.

"I need Sam. I need my husband here!" Jules cried as tears flowed down her cheeks. "He was supposed to be home by now and instead he's off in some secluded place in the dessert and probably being tortured for information if they haven't killed him yet. My babies need their daddy. _I_ need him!"

"I know Jules. I really wish there was something I could say or do that would make this all better but I can't." Sophie tucked a loose strand of hair behind Jules' ear. "Just know that wherever he is he's thinking of you. Of his family. He is looking forward to the day that he gets to meet this beautiful child that you are about to bring into the world. You just need to get through this delivery. Think of how happy Sam is going to be when he comes home and gets to hold you, all three of you, in his arms again. It will all have been worth it."

Jules sniffed and looked at the roof above her. Sophie was right. All she had to do was focus on the delivery, on bringing their baby safely into the world. That was more important than anything in this world. As another contraction gripped her she thought of Sam and how happy he will be when he finally gets to hold his new baby.

* * *

**Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan (2 months after capture)**

They had turned the voltage up. Sam could feel that the fire flowing through his body seemed to have doubled from the last time. They were slowly increasing the duration as well. They kept asking him where the main JTF2 base was, as if they thought he would actually give in and tell them. They couldn't be more wrong!

"Corporal Braddock, I do not understand. You can end this pain by simply giving me one location. It is easy." Oracle stated as he stopped pacing directly in front of his prisoner. He couldn't believe the man was still holding out on him.

Sam refused to look Oracle in the eyes. The man had betrayed them. He would never speak to this man again, unless it was from behind the scope of his rifle. He blinked. _Jules, just think of Jules, Sadie, and the baby. You'll get to see them soon. You just have to hang on until Williams can find you. Just hold on, fight._ Sam thought to himself, just before the electric current entered his body again. This time he was unable to keep the scream of pain from escaping.

* * *

**St. Simon's Hospital - Toronto (2 months after capture)**

"Push Jules!" Sophie encouraged.

"AHHHHHH!" Jules cried as she bore down and pushed with all her might. Her baby was so close to being in her arms. She just had to hold on a bit longer.

"Good, you're almost there. Just one more push Jules." The doctor instructed from his place at the foot of her bed.

When instructed Jules bore down and pushed with all her might. She was beyond relieved when she realized that her baby was here, she had made it. She smiled as a tiny cry echoed in the room. She collapsed back onto the bed, sucking in air as she could finally breath again. A few minutes later a nurse stood next to Jules with a tiny little bundle in her arms.

"Would you like to hold your baby?" The nurse asked.

Jules smiled as she reached out for the little bundle. Once in her arms she checked to ensure the baby had all it fingers and toes. When their eyes met Jules couldn't keep the tears from flowing. Sam's bright blue eyes stared back at her, her little miracle. She had her daughter, and this baby. All she needed now was her husband and her world would be complete. _Come home to me Sam._ She thought as he cuddled her newborn baby close. _Please come home._

* * *

**Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan (2 months after capture)**

Baird had been keeping a close eye on Braddock. He knew what effects being electrocuted had on the human body and that a person could only survive it for so long. He had been surprised at how long Braddock had managed to remain conscious. It was a miracle the electricity hadn't killed him yet. He sincerely hoped that Oracle and Akbar would leave Braddock alone for a few days to recover this time.

Sam had screamed to the point where his throat now hurt. He was in so much pain, so utterly exhausted that his head now hung against his chest. He could barely open his eyes. He desperately hoped that this was almost over because he didn't know how much longer his body could take it. He heard a voice not far from him but he was so out of it that he couldn't even make out the words. _Probably just asking for information again._ Sam thought sadly. As he struggled to breath he knew he was just moments away from excruciating pain again.

This time when the jolt of electricity hit him Sam had nothing left. His body gave in and he slipped into unconsciousness.


	25. The Hunt

**Remote Location - Afghanistan (3 months after capture)**

Three months! They had been searching for three entire months, endlessly, and have come up with nothing. Williams threw his canteen across the tent and growled.

"Batman, calm down." Cole stood and walked over to his friend, placing a calming hand on his CO's shoulder. "We'll find them."

"You sound so sure of that fact, and yet we are no closer to them today that we were three months ago!" Williams faced his friend. "You remember what he was like after only two months last time. Matt spent weeks bringing Sam back to us. This time he's been in Akbar's hands three months and we don't have Matt to bring him back once we find him."

"You're right, we don't." Cole took a deep breath. He could still clearly remember the state Sam had been in when they finally rescued him last time. "We don't have Matt, but we have Jules and his family. He has more people on his side this side then he did last time. He _will_ get through this, just like we _will_ find him!"

Williams and Cole held each other's gaze for a long moment, each lost in their own thoughts. The fact that it had been three months since they found Sam's sniper perch empty had taken a toll on both of them as well as Adams. Having half of their Unit missing was torture for them as well, just of a different sort. Thankfully, though, SEAL Team 3 had been able to join them four weeks ago from Iraq. The Team had come as soon as they could once they heard the situation. Now they had a full force to hunt down Akbar and find their men.

"Sir, we have the location. We are ready to move out on your command."

"Thank you Lieutenant. We'll be right there." Williams thank the SEAL's commanding officer.

They had been tracking a shipment of weapons that belonged to Akbar. It seemed they finally had good intel and were ready to move in. If Akbar was there they would capture him and force him to give them the location of Sam and the rest of their men. They were then going to blow the place sky high! Williams looked to Cole and nodded.

"Let's go get them!"

Hours later Williams, Cole, and Adams were watching the terrorist compound burn from the SEAL sniper's position over a mile away. The mission hadn't gone quite as planned. There had been a minimal number of hostiles on site, and no sign of Akbar, so they simply planted the charges to blow the place up. They didn't need the weapons here to stay in the hands of the terrorists.

"Sir, I know your men weren't here but we _are_ one step closer to finding them. It's just a process of elimination. We will find and blow up every location you have on Akbar until we find the rest of your Unit." The sniper stated as he packed up his equipment.

"If anyone can help us find them it's you men." Williams stated. Seal Team Three had just come from Iraq where they had spent a good deal of time hunting down an enemy sniper that had been targeting Allied forces. They had succeeded in that man hunt and would help he and his men succeed in this one. "Let's move out. We have another mission to plan."

* * *

**Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan (4 months after capture)**

"Bring me Braddock!" Akbar roared as he burst into the room, three men close behind him.

Sam had been pleasantly surprised. Akbar and Oracle had disappeared for at least two weeks which left them alone save for the men tasked with keeping them from escaping. All three of the JTF2 guys had been able to recover from the torture that had been constantly inflicted upon them. Now, though, Sam could tell that something had happened and Akbar was enraged. He took a deep breath as two men grabbed him and pulled him to the center of the room, guns constantly trained on him to ensure he would not escape.

"Tie him up." Akbar demanded.

Sam and Akbar's eyes met and neither one backed down. Sam could see the rage in the other man's eyes and knew that things were about to get bad...very bad.

The two men roughly turned Sam to face Baird and Jackson in the cell across the room. His hands were bound and raised above his head and the chains were attached to a hook in the roof. His arms were stretched over his head almost painfully. He could still reach the ground, but only just. Sam took several deep, sniper breaths as he awaited the punishment that was sure to come.

"Over the last four weeks eight of my compounds have been destroyed. I can only imagine that it is _your_ Unit that is causing this destruction." Akbar stated as he walked around to stand in front of his prisoner. "I want to know names, locations, resources... _everything_ about your Unit. As I await your answers I will torture Corporal Braddock. If I get the answers I seek I will cease inflicting pain on him. If I do not... I will beat him to within an inch of his life. Am I understood?"

Sam had been watching Akbar closely as he paced in front of him and stated his demands. The man had looked between him and the cell, ensuring that all three of his captives were well aware of what was going to happen if they didn't talk. Sam then met the eyes of both Baird and Jackson. They had talked about what to do in this exact situation. They had all agreed not to say anything, despite the possibility of death to one of their Unit mates, one of their friends. They would take their knowledge to the grave if needed. Sam took a few deep breaths, thankful that they had chosen him for the punishment as he would be better able to handle whatever Akbar threw his way.

"I will ask only once. Give me what I seek and I will spare him pain." Akbar said as he took a long whip offered by one of his men.

Baird and Jackson both sucked in a breath when they saw the whip in Akbar's hand. Each knew that they couldn't say a word, no matter what this crazy man did to Braddock. They each made eye contact with the Sergeant, communicating with just a look that they would keep their promise, despite what happened here today. None of them would say a word to this terrorist.

Moments later Akbar walked around to stand behind Sam. He sucked in a breath as the whip made first contact, the pain radiating across his entire back. He knew that Akbar had only just begun and that there was much more pain to be had. He closed his eyes and focused on his happy place. His Unit was getting closer to finding them, his family was waiting for him. All he had to do was stay alive until then!

* * *

**Remote Location - Afghanistan (4 months and 2 weeks after capture)**

"Sir, I think we have something." Adams stated as he entered the tent where Williams was speaking with the SEAL's CO and sniper.

"What?" Williams asked curiously.

"We were going through the documents found at the last location when we found something." Adams stated as Cole entered the tent behind him.

"Show me."

Adams and Cole brought the documents forward and handed them to Williams.

"It looks like they're planning an attack in Canada." Cole stated simply. "These are orders to move any remaining weapons out of the country. There is also mention of a safe house in Canada. From the sounds of things they are preparing for a large scale attack on home soil."

"That's not good." SEAL Team three's sniper commented as he also looked over the documents.

"Cole, contact the Major and fill him in. We need to inform the authorities that there is a confirmed terrorist threat. Tell him we will get him more information as we have it. Go!" Williams ordered. "Do we have any information on where they may be keeping Braddock, Baird, and Jackson?"

"It looks like there is mention of three possible locations." Adams stated as he set a map on the table. "Here, here, and here." He pointed to the locations on the map.

"We start here and work through all three locations until we find them." Williams looked up to the SEAL's CO. "How much longer can your Team help out?"

"We're yours until we find your men. After that we have orders to return to Iraq. We won't be able to help you track them once we find your men." The SEAL stated.

"That's good enough. Our priority is to find our men. If we can locate them we will find more intel on when and where this attack will happen." Williams looked to Adams. "Tell the men to gear up. We will formulate a plan and brief in thirty minutes. We move out immediately after."

"Yes Sir!" Adams quickly left the tent to do his CO's bidding. They were close to their men, he could feel it!

* * *

**Terrorist Site Two - Afghanistan (4 months and 3 weeks after capture)**

"Sir, they're not here." Cole approached his CO breathless. They had just finished searching the second of three possible locations where their men were possibly being held and had come up empty. This place had recently been completely cleaned out. There was no one here.

"Set the charges and move out. We have one more location." Williams turned and strode out of the building. "Let's bring our men home!"

* * *

**Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan (4 months and 3 weeks and 3 days after capture)**

"How are you feeling Braddock?" Baird asked as the other man slowly woke.

"Fine." Sam answered simply. His back still hurt if he wasn't careful and he his strength had yet to return to normal, but he was healing. That was the important part.

Jackson chuckled at Braddock's answer. He had been giving Baird the same answer for the last four weeks since the whipping. They had thought that they were going to loose Braddock that day. Akbar had whipped him to within an inch of his life. The sight of the torture was something that Jackson would never get out of his mind. He was honestly surprised that Braddock had survived. However, given the circumstances it was believable.

"When are you going to stop answering me with _Fine_?" Baird asked as he moved to sit next to Braddock.

"When you stop asking how I'm feeling." Sam answered simply, already adjusting his position so that Baird could have access to his back.

Baird simply shook his head and went to work cleaning Braddock's wounds. He had been pleased with how well the man's back was healing after the brutal whipping he had endured just over three weeks ago. Braddock's flesh was still tender but Baird had no concerns about the other man making a complete recovery. Yes, there would by a spider web of scars across the man's back, but he would heal.

All three men had been surprised after the whipping. Once Braddock had been returned to the cell and his shackle replaced Akbar had gone into a rage. Several of his locations had been destroyed, taking out many of his weapons stores in the process. The man was livid! He ranted on and on about how their Unit was costing him more than last time he had been hunted. Because of their Unit Akbar had to adjust his plans, but he refused to adjust his timetable. He made mention of being in Canada recently. Mentioned big plans that he had put together to get back at them for costing him so much. He had bragged about how he was going to make their country pay and there was nothing that they could do about it because they were going to die here.

Shortly after he finished ranting Akbar informed them that he was leaving and taking Oracle with him. It was time to move to the next step in his plan. He wished them a slow and painful death before leaving. It took them three days to realize that the man really had left and wasn't planning on coming back. He had left a handful of men to guard them, to ensure that they wouldn't be able to escape. Since then they had received meals only once every three to four days. One of the young men left to guard them had become sympathetic to them and would smuggle food to them when he could. However, the man's family was being threatened so he had to be extremely careful of what he did. The young man also provided them with a bucket of fresh water each day. This allowed Baird to clean Braddock's wounds and keep him from getting an infection. All three men were still alive thanks to Ali.

Ali had managed to find out that the Unit was getting closer to their location. He wasn't sure if they had the location of the compound that they were at, but he told all three soldiers that their men were coming. Braddock had spent several minutes talking to Ali that day, telling him to surrender when their men came and his life would be spared. Braddock would see to it that Ali was rewarded for helping them.

Now they were simply waiting. Waiting for the Unit to get here and get them out. They needed to get back to Canada and stop Akbar before he could put his final plan into motion. They were running out of time.

* * *

**SRU Headquarters - Toronto (5 months after capture)**

"Hey Rollie, any idea what's up?" Ed asked as he walked into the briefing room where the whole of the SRU was gathered. It was a tight fit and standing room only but all five Teams had been called in for this meeting.

"No idea, just that it's pertinent to national security." Rollie answered.

"Guess we'll find out soon enough." Jules commented as she approached Team One and Rollie.

"Jules, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to stay home for at least another month or so." Spike asked, surprised that Jules was here.

"I am, but I've been asked to be available for this meeting and on call after. Sounds like something big is coming." Jules stated. She hated that she had had to leave the kids only eight weeks after the birth of the baby, but it was necessary. Greg and Holleran had come to her pleadingly. She said she would remain on call for now but was going back to her maternity leave once this issue was resolved. They agreed so here she was.

"Okay boys and girls...quiet down." Holleran called from the front of the room. A hush fell over the officers as they all turned to their boss. "You all probably know by now that the reason we are gathered here is because there is a direct threat to our national security. Anything said here today is to remain with the SRU _only!_ Is that understood?"

A round of "Copy that" was heard and Holleran smiled softly before continuing.

"About two weeks ago JTF2 brass came into possession of some documents from a known terrorist that laid out basic information for a terrorist attack on home soil. There were no specifics as to date, time, or location. However, due to additional information that this Unit has uncovered they believe that it will be here in Toronto."

Jules looked to Ed. "Sam?"

"I don't know Jules. We can talk to Holleran after the briefing." Ed commented as he pulled Jules into a one sided hug. If anyone needed good news today it was Jules.

"We have been informed of the threat potential simply because we are the best equipped to help deal with this on the ground level. Everyone keep your ears open and remain extra vigilant. You will be updated as more information comes in. If something goes down here in Toronto I want us to be ready."

Holleran then dismissed the Teams. Several had questions for him but he was unable to answer most of them at this time. He was not surprised when Jules, Ed, and Spike approached once they were able to get to him.

"I'm sorry guys. I have no new information on Sam." Holleran commented before the question could even be asked.

"Can you at least tell us if it's his Unit that's found the information? Is it Akbar that we need to watch out for?" Jules asked, needing something, anything.

"I can't say much, you know that. The only thing I can say is that the Major in charge of Sam's JTF2 Unit is the one that called me." Holleran answered simply. "I can't give you anything more than that."

"So they haven't found Sam yet then?" Jules did her best to keep her tears from spilling but it was getting harder with each passing day. Sam had been a POW going on five months now and they had yet to get any new information.

"Not yet, but the Major did say that they thought they were getting close. Don't get your hopes up Jules. Just know that they are doing everything that they can to find him." Holleran placed a hand on her shoulder for a moment before walking away.

"Come on, Sophie has lunch waiting for us. Let's go." Ed guided Jules out of the SRU building, Spike close on their heels.

Each man hoped that Sam's Unit really was close to finding him. The last five months had been so hard on Jules and they could only imagine what Sam was going through. Hopefully he would get to come home...soon!

* * *

**Terrorist Site 3 - Afghanistan (5 months after capture)**

"I see minimal hostiles." The SEAL sniper commented from his perch.

Williams nodded as he looked at his map one last time.

"They could still be in there. Go fast, go silent, go careful." Williams ordered.

The men moved out, JTF2 and Seal Team Three working together to bring their brothers in arms home. As Williams and Cole moved side by side towards the compound they each prayed that this time they would find their men... and that they would still be alive.

"Only one way to find out." Williams muttered as he approached the building. He counted to three before giving the order.

"GO, GO, GO!"


	26. Rescue

**Terrorist Site 3, Sniper Perch - Afghanistan (5 months after capture)**

The sniper watched both the JTF2 Unit and his SEAL Team closely as they breached the building. He sincerely hoped that they would find the missing men at this location. He was good friends and had served with one of them before and that man didn't deserve to be at the hands of Akbar as long as he had been. As he observed through his scope he noticed movement in a window. He watched closely as two hostiles approached what appeared to be a locked door. When that door opened he smiled.

"I have a visual on Deadshot." He quickly reported into his comms.

As he watched one of the two hostiles drew a gun and pointed it at Deadshot, clearly intending to kill the man rather than letting him be rescued. He smiled as he pulled the trigger and watched the man go down.

"Not today boys." He whispered before he relayed the location to the rest of the Team and Unit. They had found them!

* * *

**Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan (5 months after capture)**

Sam looked up as the door opened and Ali entered with one of the other men, the meanest one of all. All three soldiers had heard the gunshots, the grenades, the screams. It seemed like they were about to be rescued. At least until Sam saw Meanie pull a gun and point it at him. It was then that he realized they were to be shot before the Unit could ever reach them. There was nothing that they could do! At least that was what he thought.

Baird watched, terrified as the man they dubbed Meanie leveled his gun at Braddock's head. From the sounds of it the Unit was here. Were they going to die, now, when they were so close to freedom? It seemed so. That is until the window across the hall from the door shattered and Meanie crumpled to the floor with a hole in his head. There was a sniper!

"Ali, move to the corner, get down on your knees, and place your hands behind your head." Sam quickly instructed as he slowly pulled himself into a seated position, ignoring the pain in his back as he did so. "Stay there until our men come in. I will let them know you have surrendered. They will not hurt you!"

Ali nodded and quickly did as he had been instructed. Sam smiled, at least they would be able to save one life today. Baird and Jackson both stood and moved as close to the front of the cell as possible and Sam heaved a sigh of relief. They just had to wait a few more minutes for their men to get them out. They were going home!

* * *

**Terrorist Site 3 - Afghanistan (5 months after capture)**

_"I have a visual on Deadshot."_

Williams and Cole looked to each other at the words. They had found them! Cole tapped Adams on the shoulder and all three men quickly moved toward the location that the SEAL sniper gave them. It was time to get their men out. It was another three minutes before they reached the hall with the shattered window. They knew that there was one more hostile in the room, they still had to go carefully. Williams took a deep breath and stepped around the corner, Adams and Cole right behind him.

"Batman!" Jackson called, relieved.

"He's a friendly!" Baird called as Adams moved to the man who was kneeling in the corner, hands over his head. "He's been helping up. Don't hurt him."

Williams moved immediately to the cell door once they knew the room was clear.

"It's about time Batman." Sam smiled. He was still sitting on the cell floor. He wasn't sure he could stand on his own at the moment due to lack of food, dehydration, and his injuries.

"Well you forgot to send me your location Deadshot. It was like finding a needle in a haystack!" Williams laughed. He noted how Braddock had yet to stand and was a bit worried. "You ready to get out of here?"

"Beyond!" Baird answered.

"Ali has information that we will need. Akbar is planning an attack in or near Toronto. Ali managed to swipe some of the documents for us. He can take you to them." Sam commented as he nodded to where Adams was holding Ali.

Williams looked to Adams.

"On it." Adams commented as he turned to leave with Ali. He passed two SEALS in the hallway on the way out.

"We need to get this door open. Firestorm." Williams turned to Cole who had been looking around the room.

"Sir?" Cole shook his head to clear it of the images that were invading his mind. He had been looking around the room and noticed the blood stained ground, the chains hanging from the roof, the cell in which his brothers were being held. However, what caught his eye the most was the blood splattered all around the room. He could only imagine at the moment what had been done to the men. It wasn't pretty.

"Let's get this door open." Williams ordered just as the SEAL's medic entered the room with one other Team member.

Cole moved to the cell door and began to pick the lock. It turned out that it was a relatively simple lock, any of the men could have picked it with just a small piece of wire. However, the chains that held them to the walls were short enough that they couldn't reach the bars of the cell. Whoever had put this place together had been careful to ensure that.

When the doors finally opened the SEALS allowed Williams and Cole a minute alone with the men. The medic was prepared to assist as soon as he was given the word. They could all hear the report of the sniper's riffle on occasion as he took out stragglers but they all ignored it, intent instead on the men in the room.

Once the door to the cell was opened Sam felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. There was one thing he had to know.

"How long?" Sam asked as Williams knelt down in front of him.

"Five months." Williams answered softly.

 _Five months?!_ Sam thought as he started at Williams.

"Jules. The baby! I wasn't there! She needed me and I wasn't there!" It finally hit him. He had missed the birth of his child. He hadn't been there for her when Jules needed him most. He had caused her more stress and worry during the most crucial time of her pregnancy and then not even been able to call during the birth. He looked down at the floor and his tears flowed unchecked down his face.

Williams didn't know what to say or do. He had a feeling that nothing would ease his friends hurt at this time so he chose to give the man some space. He turned to Cole who was picking the lock on Baird's shackle as one of the SEALs did the same for Jackson.

"Injuries?" Williams asked, dreading the answer from his Unit medic.

"Jackson and I are good. Malnourished and dehydrated but our physical injuries have had time to heal." Baird reported to his CO.

"Braddock?" Williams asked softly.

"More than I can count." Baird answered as he looked to the man in question. "Most immediate that will need attention is his back. About four weeks ago, I think, he was brutally whipped. I thought we were going to lose him that time. Thankfully, though, Ali provided us with clean water each day to keep his back clean. If it wasn't for that he probably would have died from infection. It's healing, but he's still weak."

"You did good soldier." Williams clasped Baird on the shoulder. He could see that what happened here had forged a bond between these three men that would never have been possible anywhere else. A bond of brotherhood forged by fire.

Williams moved back to where Braddock sat, the SEAL medic already looking at the injuries on his back. The other SEAL was picking the lock on his shackle. Baird was right, Braddock's back did look bad. He could also see where Braddock's wrists had been bound repeatedly. It appeared that his good friend had taken most of the abuse from Akbar.

"Come on, let's get these men out of here. We'll get them back to base medical ASAP." Williams instructed.

Just as all three men were released Adams returned with Ali.

"I have the documents. We are good to go." Adams commented as he noticed the state that Braddock was in. "Is he coming with us?" He gestured to Ali.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" Williams asked Ali curiously.

"I have a friend that lives not far from here. I can go there." Ali answered carefully, unsure as to why he was being asked.

"You are free to go then. Thank you, for helping my men." Williams reached out to shake Ali's hand as Adam's released him.

"You soldiers...you are doing good for my country. Thank you for everything you have done!" Ali said, sincerity evident in his voice. He then turned and quickly headed out, not wanting to be near this place any longer.

"Let's get you out of here." Williams turned to Braddock with a smile.

Cole quickly went to the other side of Braddock to help Williams. Their sniper was the only one that would need carried out, the other two would be able to make their way with minimal assistance. Both men were extremely careful with where they put their hands, knowing that Braddock's back had been torn to shreds at some point.

Sam couldn't help the wince of pain as Williams and Cole lifted him from the floor. Pain radiated across his back from the movement. He closed his eyes for a moment to take a couple of deep sniper breaths.

"You good?" Cole asked after a minute. They had both heard the sound of pain from Braddock as they helped him stand and both he and Williams had felt bad about causing it. But, they needed to get out of here.

"Yeah, just not used to being able to move yet." Sam muttered. He opened his eyes, took one more deep breath, and started to move.

The group moved as quickly as they could from the building. Williams and Cole were careful not to jar Braddock and cause him pain, and Sam moved as quickly as his body would allow. Baird and Jackson were able to walk with minimal assistance from Adams and one of the SEALS. The medic stayed close to Braddock in case he was needed.

"Where do we rendezvous with your sniper?" Sam asked after several minutes of walking.

"About a five hundred meters up." Williams answered. "We'll rest there before moving on."

Several minutes later the group stopped and Williams and Cole lowered Sam to the ground.

"How you doing Braddock?" Baird asked as he knelt down so he could be eye level with Braddock.

"Hanging in there. I'm just trying to get my muscles to remember how to work. I can push past the pain." Sam answered. He did experience pain from his back as he walked, but, he also realized the the more he walked the easier it was. He discovered that he was probably more stiff from not using his muscles than anything.

"Need anything for the pain?" Baird wanted to make sure that they were doing everything that they could for Braddock.

"Don't want it to screw with me. I'm good for now." Sam answered. The last thing he wanted was for pain medication to knock him out or mess with his brain. They needed to get far away from here first.

"Fine. But, you're going to at least take a drink before we move on." Jackson commented as he knelt down next to Baird and Braddock, passing a canteen of water as he spoke.

Cole nudged Williams and nodded to where Baird, Braddock, and Jackson were talking. It seemed that whatever was keeping Baird and Braddock from getting along had long been dealt with. They were now very close teammates. Both men smiled as their eyes met.

Five minutes after the group stopped for a break Sam heard a faint noise to his right. He turned to look in that direction, noting that no one else was worried. That must mean it's a friendly coming their way. He soon got his answer as a man in full sniper gear came into view.

"Well if it isn't the Legend himself." Sam smiled as he slowly stood, Baird helping him to his feet. "Nice shot back there."

"Someone had to save your ass, Deadshot." Kyle smiled as he reached out and grasped Braddock's hand. "I'm happy to see you're safely out now."

"A little worse for wear, but I'm alive." Sam commented.

"That's all that matters right now, right?" Kyle asked, noting the scars on Braddock's wrists and torso.

"That, and taking out Akbar once and for all." Sam answered.

"As much fun as it is standing here and catching up we really should get going." The SEAL's CO commented from where he stood.

Everyone gathered, both SEAL's and JTF2 and took inventory one last time. Once that was completed they were ready to go.

"I'll take Braddock." Kyle commented as he looked to his sniper friend, loading his rifle onto his back as he spoke. "My riffle won't do much good in close combat anyway."

Williams nodded his head in agreement before taking the lead and guiding them back to their transportation.

"Thanks for coming for us." Sam said softly as he and Kyle walked in the middle of the group.

"Once we heard you guys were in trouble we came as soon as we could. We had to finish up our little sniper hunt first, but there was never a question of whether we would come or not."

Sam smiled. He liked Kyle! They had worked together a few times in the past. Kyle was to the US what he was to the Canadian forces. They were both the best snipers their country ever had. The missions that they worked together, let's just say that the Allied casualties were minimal to non existent. During his time in JTF2 Sam and Kyle had been neck and neck for the most confirmed kills. Although, no one _really_ knew the actual number for each so there wasn't really an accurate account for either of them. Neither of them were really keeping count either.

"Did you get him?" Sam asked curiously. Talking was helping him ignore the pain. Although, it was getting easier to walk despite his lack of energy.

"Yeah. We got him." Kyle answered simply.

"Good."

Sam was silent after that, as he thought of his family. Hopefully he would get to see them soon.

* * *

**Braddock Residence - Toronto (Day of Rescue)**

"Sam!" Jules sat up straight in bed, woken from a dead sleep.

She turned and looked at her bedside clock. 2AM. She had only been asleep for about thirty minutes since she last put her littlest to bed. She had been dreaming of Sam when she suddenly woke up.

Something was different. She couldn't put her finger on just what it was, but she knew something had happened. She felt relieved! Like a huge weight had just been lifted from her shoulders.

"Maybe they've figured out where he is. Or he escaped." Jules muttered to herself as she rubbed her hands over her eyes. "Not gonna find out what it is tonight. Might as well try to go back to sleep."

As she laid back down she couldn't help the hopefulness that blossomed within her. She didn't know how or when but she knew she would see Sam soon. She couldn't wait.

This time as she went to sleep it was with a genuine smile on her face.

* * *

**Somewhere in Afghanistan (Day of Rescue)**

Sam sighed in relief as the Humvees came into sight. They had been hiking for what seemed like hours and his limited strength had been depleted. Kyle and Cole had been all but carrying him for the last hour or so. They gently put him in the Humvee and the vehicles moved out, beginning the long journey back to the main JTF2 base.

"Let me see those documents Adams." Williams turned to his friend and took the handful of documents that they had gotten from Ali.

Adams, Williams, and Cole all looked over the documents carefully. After several minutes Williams looked up and let out a deep sigh.

"This is incredible. We've been looking for this exact break for too long." Williams looked back to where Braddock was sitting. The man looked to be almost asleep before he had spoken.

"Let me see." Sam reached for the documents that Williams had been looking at. After looking over them for several minutes he looked up and met the eyes of the others in the car. "We have to stop this." He held up a map in his hands.

"How? We can't go after him with you three out of the picture. The SEALs have to go back to Iraq tomorrow. There are no other JTF2 Units available for this. We are out of options." Williams didn't see how going after Akbar was even possible.

"Yes, there is another option." Sam smiled.

For the next hour Sam laid out his thoughts on how to get Akbar. He knew it was risky, but it was possible. Now all they had to do was get back to base and put their plans in motion.


	27. Plan in Motion

**Private Jet - Unknown Airspace**

"I still can't believe he talked us into doing this." Cole shook his head in amusement as he looked at Braddock. "He's the only one that could talk us out of completely avoiding medical just to get on a plane for another mission."

"At least he thought to _bring_ a doctor." Adams smirked.

"It was the best plan we had, he did good." Williams commented.

Williams looked to where Braddock was laying on his side on the one couch in the private jet that they had commandeered. He had spent a good thirty minutes arguing with the man when Braddock first presented it his plan, but in the end the sniper had won. Now here they were, on a private jet to Toronto, with Major Copeland and Captain Sanders along for the ride. Once they touched down their plan would go into motion and Akbar would be taken out in short order. For now though, they needed rest.

Sanders was sitting in the chair closest to where Braddock was resting. He had been extremely surprised when Major Copeland walked into his office with transfer papers. The Major hadn't given him any information until they were somewhere private. That is when he learned that Braddock and the other two members of his Unit had been rescued and were on their way back to the base. Major Copeland had listed off the injures of the three men before telling him that they would be boarding a plane upon arrival and heading to Toronto in pursuit of the terrorist known as Deathstroke. The Major informed him that he would be travelling with them to see to the soldiers injuries while en route.

Now here he was, on a private jet, with Sam Braddock, the man who saved his son's life. By time the men had arrived at the jet Braddock was in pain due to the injuries that had been inflicted on his back. Sander's had quickly administered a pain killer and sedative that would allow Braddock to sleep peacefully for several hours. He had then started an IV for all three men with the needed fluids. All three of them were malnourished and dehydrated. He knew it was a slow start but hopefully by time they touched down the men would be feeling a bit more like themselves.

After doing one last check on his patients he moved to sit next to Baird, the medic that had been captured with Braddock. The men spent the next several hours going over what Sanders should be watching out for while caring for Braddock. Sanders knew that all three men would probably need some one on one time with a psychiatrist once they landed based of what little Baird was telling him. From the sounds of it all three men were lucky to be alive, Braddock more so than the rest.

The plane was silent for the next several hours. Most of the men were resting. The real work would begin again when they landed in Toronto.

* * *

**Private Jet - Unknown Airspace**

When Sam woke the first thing he realized was that he had been administered pain meds. His back wasn't causing him as much pain as it had been. Secondly he realized that he was hooked to an IV. As he slowly blinked his eyes open he recognized Captain Sanders asleep across from him and he smiled slightly. They had listened to him.

His plan had been fairly simple. Get Major Copeland and Captain Sanders onto a private jet with them and get back to Toronto as soon as possible. Williams had called ahead and talked to the Major and arranged everything, including for all their gear to be loaded and the jet to be on the tarmac when they arrived. They had only been on the base for a grand total of five minutes. Long enough to get from the main gate to the tarmac where the jet waited. Once they arrived back in Canada they would get their backup and Akbar would be history.

"How you holding up Braddock?" Baird asked as he knelt down next to the couch where Braddock had been sleeping.

"Fine." Sam smiled as he answered, remembering back to their banter in the terrorist compound.

"How's the pain?" Baird smiled back.

"Manageable." Sam shifted slightly.

"The IV is getting you the fluids and nourishment that you need. Once we get finished with this mission we are all going to be laid up for a while. The doctors are going to want to make sure we really are all okay." Baird sat down crossed legged.

"Can't say I'm looking forward to _that._ " Sam grimaced. "I really just want to see my family. _That_ will be the best thing for me."

"And soon you shall, Deadshot. Soon you shall." Baird smiled as he laid a hand on Braddock's shoulder. "I think we're just a couple of hours out. Are you sure you're up for this?"

"We've gotta take down Akbar. This is going to be the best chance we'll have. He won't see us coming for him." Sam smiled as he tried to move to a seated position. Baird quickly stood and assisted him. "We're finally going to kick his ass."

* * *

**SRU Headquarters - Toronto**

"Attention please. Everyone _quiet!_ " Holleran called from where he stood in the front of the room. He once again had all five SRU Teams in the Briefing room. After several moments there was finally silence in the room. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice. As I mentioned before there is a direct terrorist threat in the Toronto area. There is a military Unit en route to deal with the situation but they will need some assistance clearing the area of civilians."

Holleran turned to Spike who had helped him put the information together.

"The terrorists are holed up in this cabin in the middle of Rogue Park. We will meet up with the Army officer in charge when we arrive." Holleran informed his Teams. "Teams Two and Five will remain here to cover the rest of the city in case any Hot Calls come in. The rest of you will go to Rogue Park to assist the Army. Constable Scarlatti will be in charge of coordinating between SRU officers and the Army. Constable Braddock..." Holleran turned to Jules with a smile of thanks. "Thank you for coming in for this. You will be in charge of directing Team One during the mission. Team One, you will be working directly with the Army Unit. Sergeant Parker will coordinate all the SRU Teams and work closely with the Army's Commanding Officer. Are there any questions?"

He was surprised when there were only a couple of questions. Minutes later three of his five Teams were on the way to Rogue Park. He hoped that they were all successful and that they would be able to put an end to the terrorist threat to his city.

* * *

**Staging Area , Rogue Park - Toronto**

Ed, Greg, and Jules all piled out of the SUV and circled around the Command Truck when Spike pulled it up. They were all ready to get this over with. On the way over they had gone over tactics for this and decided that a grid search was the best option. Greg had gone over the basic plan with all the Team Sergeants and Leaders over the comms and planned to immediately get them deployed to clear the civilians from the park.

"Sergeant Parker, my name is Major Copeland. I spoke with Commander Holleran."

"Major, yes, it's nice to finally meet you. This is Constable Ed Lane, SRU Team One's Sergeant. His Team is all yours." Greg introduced after shaking the Major's hand. "This is Spike, our Tech guy and the one that will be coordinating your Unit with our Team's. Jules Braddock will be helping coordinate our forces in the park."

"Nice to meet you all. Sergeant Parker, might I ask who SRU's best sniper is?" Copeland asked.

"Currently our best sniper is Ed here." Greg said as he placed a hand on Ed's shoulder. Ed was standing with his hands on his hips, sizing up the Major.

"Currently?" Copeland asked with a raised eyebrow.

"SRU's best sniper was recalled to active duty several months ago." Ed answered simply.

"Understood." Major Copeland led the four SRU officers to a table where he had a map laid out. "I have a sniper on this ridge." He pointed to the location on the map. "He could use a spotter."

"On it." Ed said simply before heading to the SUV's to grab his riffle and sniper gear. He instructed the rest of his Team to listen to Greg before running off to join the Army's sniper, muting his comms to keep from distracting everyone else while he hiked to meet the sniper. On his way up to the ridge he could't help but wonder exactly which Unit was here. The patch on the Major's uniform said that he was JTF2. _I guess I'll just have to wait to see_. He thought.

Fifteen minutes later he was coming up on the sniper's perch.

"SRU Team One. Sergeant Ed Lane." Ed announced as he stopped several feet away from the sniper. The last thing he wanted to do was startle the man.

"Ed?" Sam turned away from his scope to look at the man that had come to be his spotter. He knew the Major was sending someone his way, but he hadn't thought that it would be Ed.

"Sam?" Ed was speechless. Sam was the last person that he expected to see here today.

"Ed, man it's good to see you!" Sam smiled and shifted slightly, stifling the groan of pain that threatened to escape.

"You have no idea. When this is over we can talk." Ed commented as he set his gear down on the ground next to Sam. "But for now I'm here to help you stop a terrorist."

"Thank Ed." Sam said, sincerity clear in his voice.

As Ed set up his gear and unmuted his comms he could easily see how tired Sam was. He also noted that the other man was in pain. Sam had tried to hide his grimace when he shifted his position, but was unable to hide it completely. Ed had known him for years after all.

 _"This is Constable Scarlatti with the SRU. Team One is now patched in to JTF2's comms."_ Spike called over the radio. Thankfully Major Copeland had given him the necessary codes to get their Team patched in immediately.

"Copy, our locations should be uploaded to your system momentarily." Williams answered over the radio.

Sam smiled as he continued to look down his scope. Team One was here, with their help they could end this, once and for all.

"We're patched in. I've got you all on our map." Jules commented as she brought the map up onto the main screen in front of her. When she realized that they were working with JTF2 she had gotten hopeful that maybe Sam would be here, but soon realized that it wasn't possible. Even if he had been rescued he would surely be in a hospital somewhere. There is no way they would let him come home, or go on a mission, so soon.

Sam's breath caught in his throat when he heard Jules' voice over the comms. It had been approximately eight months since he had heard her voice and it was like a healing balm to his wounded soul. For the first time in months he really felt like he could breathe. He was so close to seeing his beautiful wife. All he had to do was take down Akbar and Oracle and he could finally be with her again.

"Copy. We are holding a perimeter around the cabin. Have each member of your Team meet up with one of the men from my Unit." Williams instructed. "They can help us keep civilians outside the perimeter."

"Copy." Jules quickly relayed the instructions and the rest of Team One moved into position. "Team One, be sure to announce yourself as you approach your positions. The last thing you want to do is surprise someone in Special Forces."

A round of "copy" was heard over the comms as the remaining members of Team One moved into position.

"Jules, call Winnie and have EMT's on standby. Just in case they are needed." Greg instructed as he observed the monitors before them. "Keep them back but on notice."

"Yes Sarge." Jules quickly called Winnie to relay the instructions.

Meanwhile Ed was observing the cabin below, counting subjects and mentally noting the location of all the JTF2 men he could see.

"Ed, just so you know my comms mic is muted for now. Once the Unit is ready to move in I'll go back online." Sam informed his friend. "Less distracting all round that way."

"No problem." Ed smiled as he glanced at Sam. He figured he wouldn't bother letting Jules know that Sam was here. She needed to stay focused for now.

Both men lay in silence as they observed the cabin below. Ed would give updates on the location of the subjects below and Jules kept them updated on the progress of clearing the park. Almost an hour and a half later Greg communicated that all civilians were cleared from the park and that the SRU had closed down all ways in and out of the park. The Unit was cleared to move in.

"Team One, fall back to the command center. This is JTF2 business now." Williams instructed as he checked his gear. Everyone on the comms heard something in his voice that said this was more than just a mission to this Unit. "Sergeant Lane, stay in position with our sniper please."

"Copy." Ed commented as he adjusted his scope slightly. He knew that Sam would be taking all the shots, his accuracy wouldn't be as precise at this distance.

Sam took a couple of deep breaths before turning his comms back on. The Unit would need real time communication with him from now on. At least when Jules realized he was here she wouldn't be distracted when she was needed elsewhere.

Spike, Greg, Jules, and the rest of Team One gathered around the monitors that had been set up outside the command truck and Spike muted all the comms so that they wouldn't distract the Unit during the mission. They had been given access to the mission cameras that were fixed to all the JTF2 uniforms. They were getting to see this mission happen in real time. The only camera they didn't have was that of the sniper.

"Batman, you have a go for this mission when the Justice League is ready to move in." Major Copeland informed his man.

"Copy. Justice League, inventory and prepare for go." Williams instructed as he glanced at Jackson. They were ready to end this once and for all. He gave his men a couple of minutes to finish inventory and gear up before he checked in with them one last time.

"Hawkman?"

"Geared up and ready to go." Adams responded as he cocked his gun and brought it to his shoulder. He smiled.

"Atom?"

"Let's do this." Baird replied, he was anxious to get this show on the road.

"Flash?"

"Ready to go, Sir." Jackson smiled at his CO. He was ready for payback!

"Firestorm?"

"Yes Sir. Ready to get this show on the road." Cole replied.

"Sergeant Lane?"

"In position." Ed replied as he clicked off the safety on his rifle.

"Deadshot?"

"Target acquired." Sam responded, his voice void of emotion.

"Sam?" Jules asked as she turned to the Major that stood nearby.

Major Copeland simply smiled in response. He knew she would find out eventually. He was just glad it hadn't been before now.

Jules couldn't believe it. Her heart literally skipped a beat when she heard Sam's voice over the comms. As soon as she heard the all too familiar voice she simply wanted to go to him. To hold him in her arms and never let him go. Greg, however, placed a hand on her arm to stop her.

"He needs to be completely focused on this mission Jules. He'll come to you as soon as he can." Greg said as his eyes met those of Jules. He could easily see the need in her eyes. The need to be with Sam, to ensure he was alive and well, to hold him herself.

"Then let's get this over with. I need to hold my husband! My babies need their Daddy!" Jules stated as Greg pulled her into a hug. She quickly turned back to the monitors, listening for Sam's voice once again. She was so close to seeing him, she only had to wait just a little bit longer. Moments later she heard Williams give the order.

"Justice League, move in."


	28. Rogue Park

**Main JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

"What do you mean Captain Williams' Unit hasn't returned yet? They were due yesterday! Has anyone heard from them?" The General roared. He was supposed to get a mission update from Williams every time he was back at the main base. The man was twenty four hours late for the last update.

"No sir." The Private almost cowered under the roar of the General. The man was terrifying angry, and he was definitely angry.

"Get Major Copeland in my office, pronto!" The General ordered before curtly dismissing the Private. The Major would have answers.

Ten minutes later there was a tentative knock on his office door.

"Enter!" The General yelled, still angry.

"Sir, Major Copeland is not on base." The Private reported. Being in this room, bearing this news, was the last place the young man wanted to be right now.

"WHAT?!" The General stood and got in the Private's face. "You will figure out what is going on and where my men are. You will not eat or sleep until you do. Is that understood?"

"Yes Sir!"

"Good, now get out of here." The General turned to go back to his desk. With one last thought he turned to the door just before it closed behind the private. "And get Lieutenant General Baird in here...immediately!"

As the General poured himself a shot of whiskey he determined to get to the bottom of this. His men don't just go off without his permission, nor do they not report in when ordered to. Something was going on, and when he found out what it was heads were going to roll.

* * *

**Rogue Park - Toronto**

"They are maintaining their perimeter around the clearing." Sam commented as he watched eight hostiles patrolling around the house.

"Would it help if we used Spike's drone to find heat signatures?" Ed asked as he continued to look down his scope.

"Drones fly over this place all the time. Plus my baby's quiet, they won't even know she's there." Spike smiled. He was excited at the opportunity to help Sam out even more.

"Get her in the air. You can help verify number of targets." The Major answered, not once taking his eyes off of the screen before him. "In the meantime, Justice League, move to the perimeter and prepare to neutralize the patrol."

"Roger." Williams answered as he motioned for Jackson to spread out to his right as they moved forward. They needed to eliminate these men silently. Once Sam let off his first shot Akbar and his men would know that they were there so it was to their benefit to move fast and silent until absolutely necessary. Only a few moments later Spike came over the comms confirming that the drone was airborne.

Spike and Major Copeland instructed the Unit as to the whereabouts of each of the enemy targets around the perimeter. All of Team One watched in awe as each Unit member quickly and silently took out their targets. Jules paid close attention to Sam's voice when it came over the comms. She could tell he was in pain and couldn't help but wonder about it. However, each time she heard his voice she felt a bit more at peace knowing he was close and that she would get to see and hold him again soon.

"Flash, the last patrol is coming up on your position." Sam informed Jackson. He had been watching closely, making sure no one else came out of the cabin looking for the men that now lay silent in the trees. Surprise was their best ally right now, they needed the upper hand for as long as possible.

"Hostile patrol eliminated. Move on the house." Williams instructed once Jackson reported that the target was neutralized.

"I don't have eyes on the north side of the house so go careful." Sam told his Unit. He hated having blind spots, but you can't cover every side of a building from one sniper perch. What he _could_ see would have to be enough. He smiled softly when he heard Spike say that his drone would take care of surveillance on that side of the cabin.

"I count two targets in the sitting room, one in the kitchen, and one on the first floor but unaccounted for." Ed reported. "He may have moved to the bathroom."

"Roger."

"There are three targets on the second floor. I don't have a shot." Sam told his Unit.

"Do you have eyes on Oracle or Deathstroke?" Williams asked as he and Jackson flattened themselves against the front of the house.

"Negative." Sam answered. He was getting irritated that the men weren't here. "Wait...I see two more targets on the second floor. I have Oracle and Deathstroke in my sights. I repeat, they _are_ here!"

"Can you confirm identity?" Major Copeland asked. He needed to make sure they were the right men.

"I wouldn't forget those faces anywhere. It's them Sir." Sam replied. He shifted slightly, the pain reliever he had been given was wearing off and making it more difficult by the minute to lay in position. The wounds may be healing but the constant moving hadn't helped at all.

"Sir, if he says it's them...I believe him." Williams said softly over the comms. "He's spent more time with them than anyone else. He would know."

"Roger." Major Copeland took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a fraction of a second. Williams and Braddock were right, and he should have known that without question. After all, Braddock had been tortured at the hands of Akbar twice now. A man doesn't forget a face like that. "Breach the house."

Jules watched closely as the Unit moved into the house. They worked quickly and deathly silently. They had almost cleared everyone on the first floor when the last man cried out.

"Weapons free...I repeat, weapons free." Williams called as he heard scrambling upstairs. Their targets officially knew that they were there.

"Target in east window." Ed immediately said as they were given the clear to fire.

Sam didn't even hesitate. He immediately sighted the man and pulled the trigger. The window shattered and the hostile crumpled to the floor. He squeezed off a second shot when another man came to see what had happened and check on his fallen friend. He received a matching bullet hole to the forehead for his efforts.

"On the stairs." Cole said into the comms, letting Braddock know that friendlies were about to join hostiles on the second floor.

"Roger. Three targets remaining." Sam replied.

"You have one man climbing out the North window." Spike commented as his drone hovered in the area.

Team One watched as the man that exited the house looked up, raised a weapon, and shot the drone out of the sky. They no longer had the extra set of eyes on the situation.

"Oracle has taken out the drone. Hawkman, Atom, do you have eyes on the target?" Major Copeland asked his Unit.

"Affirmative." Adams answered as he and Baird exited the house. "Pursuing target into the woods."

"Roger." The Major scrubbed his hands over his face as he watched the mission unfold before him. The last thing they needed was a terrorist on the loose in Rogue Park.

"Firestorm, hold at the top of the stairs. We're coming to you." Williams instructed as he and Jackson finished clearing the first floor. Once they reached the landing they tapped Cole on the shoulder and the moved forward. "Two hostiles left. Let's go!"

"I have no visual on the targets." Sam told his Unit. He knew he wouldn't get many shots off before they realized a sniper was in place. At least he had been able to take out a couple of men. "There should be two hostiles left."

At the top of the stairs Williams split off to clear one side and Jackson and Cole went to the other end of the cabin in search of the hostiles. Williams quickly found one of the two remaining men and eliminated him.

"We have Deathstroke in our sights. Southeast corner of the building." Cole called into his radio as he held Akbar at gunpoint.

Akbar had a weapon in his hands but Jackson quickly moved forward and took it from him before throwing him to the ground.

"We finally got you, you sick..."

"Flash." Williams got the attention of the young man with just one word.

Jackson looked up to see the smirk on Williams' face.

"I think I know just what to do with him. Stand him up." Williams ordered. He waited until the terrorist was on his feet, three JTF2 soldiers with weapons trained on him, before he smiled and spoke again. "Go to the window and look out." Williams ordered.

"What is he doing?" Major Copeland asked as he watched the scene unfold in front of him.

No one knew what the soldier was thinking. They were, however, all riveted to the screens in front of them.

Akbar looked like he was going to argue until Cole stepped forward, his weapon pointing directly at Akbar's head. "I'd do as the man says." He stated eerily.

Jackson grinned from ear to ear as Akbar turned around, moved to the window, and stood facing out. He knew what Williams was doing and it was the best way for this to end.

"Deadshot, I have a present for you in the window. Do you see it?" Williams asked, stifling a laugh when Akbar tried to step away from the window at his words. The man clearly knew what was coming his way.

"No, please. You do not have to do this. I will go to whatever prison you desire. Please, have mercy on me. Spare my life!" Akbar pleaded.

"What? Like you spared my men from your torture? I know what you did to them! All five of them!" Williams moved to stand directly behind Akbar and spoke into his ear. "You took my men, _good_ men, and tortured them to within an inch of their lives. You've killed two of my men in the most gruesome of ways. You then threatened my homeland. A land that I and my men love with everything that we have. A land that we have devoted our lives to protecting. You want mercy? Why don't you ask the man that you have caused the most pain. See if he'll let you live after what you've done to him."

With that Williams backed up and to the side, out of sight of the sniper whose scope was now fully trained on this window. He, Jackson, and Cole stood with their weapons pointed at the man that had caused them endless amounts of pain. They smiled as they waited.

Sam took a deep breath as he sighted the man in the window. Akbar was sweating bullets. The terrorist knew that he was done for, that there was now way out of this. _Mercy? He want's mercy? I'll give him mercy!_ Sam thought as he placed his finger on the trigger. He took another deep breath before making a small adjustment to his scope, watching the man fidget in the window as he did so. This was one shot he was going to be sure to get right!

Cole kept his eye on Akbar. The man had been standing in the window for a good minute and nothing had happened. He had thought Braddock would want to get this over with, end it once and for all. He couldn't figure out why he hadn't pulled the trigger yet. That was until he saw the rivers of sweat pouring off the man and the quick prayers being silently uttered. Akbar knew exactly who and what he was facing and for once he didn't have the upper hand. For once it was _his_ life that was being threatened. He didn't realize Braddock had it in him to make a man wait for the death that was sure to come. But, then again, Akbar _had_ tortured four of his friends, killed two of them, assisted in the friendly fire incident that ended in Sam killing Matt, and threatened the soldiers home and by extension family. Braddock would want to ensure they got the man this time. Besides, a little terror wouldn't hurt.

Jules watched the monitors closely as she waited for the all too familiar report of Sam's rifle. She had been a bit surprised that he hadn't taken the shot yet and she was a bit concerned that something had happened to him. However, she could faintly hear him taking deep breaths. She smiled.

"What is taking him so long?" Spike asked. He had thought Sam would have fired by now.

"He's making sure it's a perfect shot. This man has put him through so much, cost him so much. He doesn't want there to be any chance that Akbar can get away this time." Jules commented softly. She wished there was something that she could do to ease the burden that Sam was carrying. Sadly she would have to wait a bit longer to be able to do so.

"Sam?" Ed asked as he glanced to the man next to him as the sniper adjusted his scope. He had never seen his friend hesitate on a shot and was curious as to why he was doing so now.

"It has to be a perfect shot Ed. I can't miss this one. There's too much at stake." Sam commented as he put his hand back on his rifle from adjusting his scope. _That and I'm trying to ignore the fact that my back is hurting again._ He thought.

Ed simply nodded his head in understanding. Sam couldn't afford to miss this shot, and they weren't in a hurry this time. _Besides_ , Ed thought as he watched Akbar sweat, _The man deserves to wait, not knowing when it's coming. Especially after what he put Sam through._

"Stand clear." Sam said simply as he drew in a breath. He paused for a moment on the inhale and squeezed the trigger between heartbeats. He held his breath as he watched the bullet hurtle down range.

"Target eliminated." Williams called through the comms.

"We lost Oracle." Adams called over the comms. He and Baird had been closely following the man, trying to catch up with him, but he had effectively disappeared. He had only left the cabin less than five minutes before and was already gone. They _had_ to find him.

"Roger, we're on our way." Williams answered as he nodded to the other two men in the room. Cole had just checked Akbar for a pulse to make sure the man was dead. As if the bullet hole in the terrorist's forehead wasn't indication enough.

"Had to be sure." Cole commented as he followed Williams down the stairs and out the door, Jackson close on their heels.

"Spread out. We find Oracle, today."

"Roger."

"Deadshot, anything from there?" Adams asked as he paused for a moment to catch his breath and take in his surroundings.

"Negative. No sign of the target." Sam answered as he scanned the area around the cabin. Just one more hostile, then he could go home.

"Maybe you should look closer Master Corporal Braddock."


	29. Oracle

**Rogue Park, Toronto**

_"Maybe you should look closer Master Corporal Braddock."_

"Ed, black wall." Sam whispered. He had heard the voice behind them. It was faint, but he would recognize it anywhere.

"Oracle's behind them!" Jules gasped as her eyes met those of Spike. "Where is Sam positioned?"

Major Copeland pointed to the spot on the map that Sam had chosen for his sniper perch while he informed the Unit that Oracle had found Sam.

Jules ran for the truck that held her sniper rifle and quickly retrieved it from the back.

"Spike, help me onto the roof of the truck!" Jules called as she ran back towards the group gathered near the command truck. She knew the top of the truck was the only place she would be even remotely capable of seeing Sam's perch from. She hoped she'd get a solution from there.

Spike lowered himself to one knee by the truck as Jules came running towards him. He made a cradle out of his hands which she placed one foot into then he stood, lifting her to the roof of the truck. He then turned back to the monitors so he could see what was going on.

After Sam warned Ed about the subject that was behind them he put his hands on the ground beneath him and pushed himself up, holding back a groan as he did so. When he stood he turned to face his enemy, the man that had betrayed him multiple times.

"We meet again Master Corporal Braddock." Oracle sneered as he took a couple of steps closer to where his target stood.

"You know, you keep calling me that...apparently you never got up to date information." Sam smirked as he faced the man he had once trusted.

"Why would you say that?" Oracle asked as he pulled a long knife from it's sheath.

"Because... I'm not a Master Corporal anymore." Sam answered.

"You still wear the uniform of an Army soldier." Oracle commented.

"I do, but not as a corporal. I'm a Sergeant now." Sam told the man. "I got my promotion when I came back to hunt you and your father down."

Ed watched as the two men exchanged words. He knew Jules was trying to line up a shot, but he also knew that they were probably out of range where they were. Whatever was going to happen would be between the three of them unless the rest of the Unit arrived within moments. This standoff wouldn't last long.

As Jules adjusted her scope she focused intently on her sniper breathing. She was about to see Sam for the first time in months, and he was facing a terrorist. She had to remain calm and controlled or she wouldn't help, she'd be a hindrance. As she zeroed on in the location of the sniper perch her breath caught in her throat. He was there, standing and facing a terrorist who had what looked to be a long knife in his hand. Ed was just standing from his position.

"Tell your friend to stand and leave his weapon on the ground." Oracle instructed.

"And if I don't?" Sam asked curiously.

"Then I will end his life before I end yours." Oracle commented as he grabbed the blade of the knife, clearly intending to throw it if Ed didn't follow his orders.

"No need for that. He's not a threat to you." Sam commented as he looked to Ed and nodded. Sam knew that with just a flick of Oracle's wrist Ed would be dead. He couldn't risk it. His friend stood, leaving his weapon on the ground where he had just been.

"Kneel with your hands behind your head." Oracle instructed as he looked at Ed. The man quickly complied.

Ed knew that the best way out of this would be to do what he was told and follow Sam's lead. He knelt, lacing his fingers behind his head as he watched Oracle closely.

"You killed my father today. I will now kill you." Oracle said menacingly as he flipped the knife in his hands and pointed it at Sam.

"I was just following orders." Sam commented as he lowered into a crouch, ready for whatever Oracle did next. "You know, I always wondered if you two were related. I guess I have my answer now."

Jules watched as Oracle lunged at Sam. Sam grabbed the hand that the knife was in and the two men engaged in a heated fight. Ed tried to line up a shot with his sidearm but Sam and Oracle were too quick in their movements. Getting a clean shot would be next to impossible. There was going to be no way that she could get a Scorpio shot from here and guarantee she would hit her mark.

"Oracle and Sam are engaged in hand to hand combat." Jules commented, relaying what was going on to the rest of the people gathered nearby who in turn passed on the information to Williams and the Unit.

"Do you have a shot?" Sarge asked as he watched her closely.

"Negative."

"AAAHHH!" Sam cried as Oracle managed to stab his right side with his blade. They had managed to fight each other off so far, but Sam knew he would lose if he didn't do something, and soon.

Ed watched closely, upset at the fact that he was unable to get a clear shot to take out Oracle. He also listened to what was going on in the comms. The Unit was on their way but by time they got here this would be over. One of the two men would be dead. He had thought of trying to assist Sam with the fight but he knew that the chances of actually being of assistance were slim. He would probably put Sam in more danger if he moved in.

Sam managed to push Oracle off of him and away a couple of feet. The other man landed on the ground with a thud and Sam immediately looked to Ed who had his sidearm in his hand. Their eyes met as he called out to his friend.

"Ed!"

Ed immediately knew what Sam wanted and tossed his gun to him. Sam caught it, rose from his kneeling position on the ground, aimed, and fired. Oracle, who was standing suddenly fell to the ground. Sam walked up to him, gun still aimed at him.

Standing from his position Ed looked to where Oracle now lay on the ground. Somehow Sam had managed a perfect head shot in the split second he had had to aim and fire the weapon.

"It's over. You will torture me _no_ more!" Sam whispered.

Jules' heart skipped a beat when Sam fired. _It's over. It's finally over._ She thought with a small smile. Below her she could hear the cheers of the officers gathered as the Unit suddenly appeared on the ridge and communicated that Oracle was down. Her eyes, however, never left Sam. As she watched he staggered back two steps and the gun slid from his hand to the ground. As Williams moved towards him Sam sank to his knees, his arms limp at his sides.

"Braddock!" Williams called as he rushed to his friends side. "Come on, stay with us." Williams lowered Braddock to the ground as Baird slid to a stop on his knees next to them.

"What happened?" Baird asked as he assessed Braddock.

"He was stabbed in the side." Ed answered simply. "Greg, get EMS in here. Sam's down."

"Copy. Winnie." Greg acknowledged Ed before calling for their dispatcher.

"Already on their way Sarge." Winnie answered. She had been listening closely and gave the order to EMS as soon as she heard the terrorist were taken care of.

"We'll bring him down. Have EMS ready to take him in once we get there." Baird commented as he cut open Braddock's shirt and pressed a bandage to the wound in his side.

"Sam!" Jules cried when she saw him going down. It was as if everything went into slow motion for her as she watched his Unit move to his side. She stared for several minutes until the sound of Spike's voice reached her.

"Jules! They're bringing him down. He's going to be okay." Spike was calling to his friend. He knew Jules had to be extremely worried for Sam, but he was alive, and he was home. That was the best news that they had had in several months. "Come on down Jules."

"Coming." Jules finally responded. She was still watching the ridge. Ed was gathering the weapons and following quickly behind the Unit who was bringing Sam down. She was minutes away from finally being able to _really_ see him, touch him. As she jumped from the roof of the truck she noticed EMS arriving and she took a deep breath. She couldn't cry here, not in uniform. She had to keep her emotions in check.

"How's he doing?" Jackson asked as he followed behind Williams and Cole who were carrying Braddock down to the waiting paramedics.

"He'll make it. The stab wound could be worse. I think his body finally just gave out on him. He's been pushing himself too much the last twenty four hours and that fight didn't help. He just ran out of strength and adrenaline. He'll need some stitches and a lot of bed rest but I suspect he'll make a full recovery." Baird answered as he offered his friend a small smile.

"I hope so. He could really use a break right about now." Jackson said as he glanced at the SRU officer that was with them. He moved the couple of steps to his right so he could walk next to the man that seemed extremely worried about their sniper. "Thank you, for having his back up there."

Ed looked up as the man next to him spoke. "He's a good friend of mine. Just wish I could have done more." Ed answered softly.

"I know the feeling." Jackson looked back to Braddock. "I felt that way for five months." He said softly.

"You were with him?" Ed asked, noting the sadness in the soldier's voice and eyes.

"Every minute of it." Jackson whispered. "But what matters is that we're home now. His wife is here right?"

"Yeah, waiting by the trucks." Ed answered, a small smile playing across his lips and the happy reunion that would happen, despite Sam's injures.

"Good, he really needs to see her." Jackson adjusted the weapon slung across his back and walked in silence from then on.

"Where are they?" Jules asked for the hundredth time since she came down from the roof of the command truck. She had been pacing impatiently, constantly looking back to the screens to see if she could see anything new, and asking where the men were.

"They'll be here soon Jules." Leah told her, for the hundredth time. It was a good things Jules already had the baby, or they would all be extremely worried about her!

"I see them!" Spike called from where he was standing at the edge of the group of cars. He pointed to where he saw the first of the men emerging from the treeline.

Jules head shot around to where Spike was pointing. The moment she saw them her heart stopped beating and her breath caught in her throat. He was here, just a few steps away from her. It was all she could do to keep from running to him. She knew he needed medical attention badly, and her getting in the way wouldn't help. She would wait until they were closer. The five minutes it took seemed like forever.

Ed sped up and walked ahead of the group to where Jules was waiting. She was standing just this side of where the trucks were gathered around, clearly impatient. He went straight to her and pulled her into a hug.

"He's going to be okay Jules. His body just couldn't keep going once the adrenaline wore off." Ed pulled back and tilted Jules head to look at her. "He's going to be _fine!_ Do you hear me?"

Jules simply nodded her head. She heard him. Now she just needed to see Sam. She looked past Ed and noticed that the group of soldiers were just steps away now. She broke free of Ed and went to Sam.

Williams watched as Braddock's wife walked away from officer Lane and towards them. He and Cole stopped for a moment. They were supporting Braddock on either side, holding him up with arms under his shoulders. The man was just starting to stir when his wife was within steps of them.

Sam couldn't contain the groan that escaped as he woke. He hurt, everywhere. There was a new pain in his side and it took a moment for him to remember that Oracle had stabbed him during their fight. He was now being held up by two of his friends who had just stopped walking. He carefully opened his eyes and saw the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Just steps in front of him stood his sexy sniper chick.

"Jules!" Sam sighed, a weight had finally been lifted off him and he could breath for the first time in almost a year.

"Sam!" Jules moved the last few steps and stood in front of Sam.

Jules gently took his face in her hands and brought her lips to meet his. The kiss was slow, gentle, sweet, and contained all the emotions that each had felt in the absence of the other over the last several months. She gently wrapped her hands around his neck, careful not to aggravate the wound in his side as she did so.

"I'm so glad you're home." Jules whispered in Sam's ear. "I love you Samuel Braddock."

"I love _you_ Julianna Braddock." Sam responded as he leaned into her embrace. He was finally home!

"Come on, we need to get you to medical." Williams finally said. He wished he could allow the two all the time that they needed together right now, but Braddock was heavy. Not to mention that his friend needed medical attention. The two could spend all the time together that they wanted once they got him to the hospital.

"Of course!" Jules pulled away unwillingly. She just wanted to hold onto Sam for forever, but she knew he needed to get checked out at the hospital.

The group moved forward to the waiting EMS. The crowd of SRU officers waited nearby, not wanting to get in the way.

"Hey Sam."

"Steve?" Sam looked up at the medic that was waiting by the gurney.

"You ready to go get checked out?" Steve asked, a small smile on his face.

"I hate hospitals." Sam muttered as Cole and Williams sat him on the gurney.

Steve helped remove the rest of Sam's shirt so that he and his partner could easily access the wound in Sam's side. Both medics noticed the extensive scarring on Sam's body and Steve couldn't help but wonder what Sam had been through that gave him those scars.

Jules sucked in a shocked breath when she saw Sam's back. She knew he had probably been injured, but she wasn't expecting this. Spike stepped up to her and put an arm around her shoulders in silent support.

Steve helped Sam lay down on his side in order to avoid further aggravation of the injuries to his back. Once they got Sam settled they headed for the ambulance that was parked not far away.

As Sam was wheeled to the ambulance he saw his SRU family standing nearby. He reached out a hand and touched Steve's arm.

"Can I have a minute?" Sam asked.

Steve could clearly see the need in the soldiers eyes and agreed. Sam could have a couple of minutes to talk to his family.

Greg smiled as he stepped forward, the rest of Team One close on his heels.

"Welcome home Sam." Greg grasped his friends hand and squeezed. He didn't miss the myriad of scars on the man's body either and it saddened him to know that the young man had been through so much pain.

"Good to have you back Samtastic!" Spike grinned from ear to ear. It was the only way he could think of to hide his emotions at the sight of Sam in the condition that he was in.

"It's about time you came home soldier." Leah smiled as she too shook Sam's hand. "Glad you made it back in one piece."

"It's good to be home." Sam smiled as he grasped Jules' hand. "Thank you for your help today. We couldn't have done it without you."

"Anytime, anyplace. You call and we'll be there." Ed commented as he tilted his head to one side, a smirk on his face.

Sam simply nodded in acknowledgement.

"We're taking him to St. Simon's. We'll see you there?" Steve could see his patient was in pain and exhausted. They needed to get going.

"Of course." Greg smiled, there was no where else they would rather be.

Steve nodded before looking to his partner. They both worked to get Sam loaded and Steve gave Jules a hand up into the back. Ed closed the doors behind them and banged twice, letting the driver know that he could go.

As the ambulance pulled away with lights and sirens blaring all SRU officers and the JTF2 Unit watched. Their friend was finally home!


	30. Relief

**2 Days after Rogue Park Incident**

Williams was standing on the other side of the wall of windows to Braddock's room. Their sniper and friend had been in the hospital for two days now and had yet to wake. Captain Sanders said that his body was just exhausted and Williams had to agree. He knew that Braddock would have been as alert as possible from the moment they were taken until they finished their mission. Any reserve strength and adrenaline that Braddock had had surely been used during that time. His body needed to rest to heal now.

A small smile crossed Williams' lips as he looked at the sleeping woman next to Braddock's bed. Jules Braddock was a force to be reckoned with! No amount of arguing would get Jules to leave her husband's side from the moment she was allowed to see him. She now sat in a quite uncomfortable looking chair next to the hospital bed where Braddock lay sleeping on his left side. She held one of his hands in both of hers and her head was on the bed as she slept. She would be quite sore when she finally woke, however he knew that she needed to be near him.

Williams turned to go check on his other two men who were in neighboring rooms. He had been so thankful to Captain Sanders for what the man had done for his men. As soon as they had landed in Toronto Sanders had headed straight to St. Simon's Hospital to arrange treatment for the men. They now had three rooms in the hospital that were somewhat secluded. There was a dedicated nursing staff just for his men, and Sanders had arranged to be the attending physician for all three of them. Essentially they were left to themselves and visiting hours were non existent for them. For that Williams was also grateful. It meant that Jackson's family had been able to come by, as well as all of the SRU to see Braddock. Baird had yet to have any visitors and the young man had stated that it was better that way. Less chance of his father finding out where he was. He suspected Braddock would feel the same way about the General discovering his location, thus the reason for the private rooms.

As Williams checked on Baird, who was also currently sleeping, he thought back to his conversation with Captain Sanders the day before. The doctor had given all of his men a thorough exam and sat down to discuss their injuries with him. The list had been long and gruesome at points. As they discussed the injuries Williams had stood and paced several times, his rage barely contained. If Braddock hadn't already killed both Akbar and Oracle he would have done so himself many times over. All three of his men would have a lot of work ahead of them to get over the events of the last several months, both physically and emotionally. He knew they could do it, but the road would not be easy.

* * *

**Sam's Hospital Room - 2 Days After Rogue Park Incident**

Sam almost smiled as he woke. He had been dreaming of his family. That they had finally taken out Akbar and Oracle and he was home. In his dream he was laying in bed with Jules snuggled up against him, Sadie and the baby sleeping soundly in their rooms nearby. There was nothing here to worry about, everything was right in his world once again. But then we woke and he realized that there was no way it was possible. It was just a dream.

But then his senses started taking in his surroundings. He felt a dull ache in his back from the whipping from Akbar, he felt the pain in his side from where he had been stabbed. He felt a needle in his arm. His ears perked up at the sound of a constant beeping just behind him. The room smelled of antiseptic, and hospital...and Jules. _Wait, Jules?_ Sam thought. That was when he felt a warm hand in his. He forced his eyes open and when he took in the sight before him is breath caught in his throat.

"Jules." Sam whispered as he looked down at his sleeping wife. He was laying on his left side, probably due to the wound in his side and back. Jules had a firm hold on his hand and her head was resting on the bed next to him. Her beautiful brown hair was splayed out around her and her face held a worried look.

Sam carefully reached out with his right hand and gently touched her cheek. A single tear escaped his eyes as he realized that it wasn't a dream. They really had taken out their targets and now he was with Jules. Not quite home, but a lot closer than he had been in the last eleven months. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, relishing in the fact that she was here with him. He quietly watched her sleep for several minutes before she began to stir.

Jules loved these dreams. The ones where Sam was home, safe, and she was in his arms. The dream she was having right now was the best that she had had in months. In her dream Team One had helped his Unit eliminate the terrorist threat that had come to Toronto. Sam had been injured but he was home. She was dreaming that she was at his bedside as he slept. But, then her dream shifted. Dream Sam had woken and whispered her name before stroking her hair. This dream was so lifelike that it almost felt as if it were real. Suddenly, she realized that she was awake. Someone was running their hands through her hair and she swore she could smell Sam nearby. She tentatively opened her eyes, afraid that he wasn't really there and she was dreaming after all.

Sam smiled as Jules eyes fluttered open. "Hey beautiful!" He whispered.

"Sam?!" Jules lifted her head from where it lay on the hospital bed and looked at Sam's amazing blue eyes. "Sam!"

Sam reached out and put his hand on the back of Jules neck, pulling her to him and kissing her soundly. He closed his eyes and relished in the fact that she was here, in his arms, finally. The kiss lasted for several moments before she pulled back and really looked at him.

"How are you feeling?" Jules asked as she reached out and wiped a tear from his face.

"Perfect now that I'm with you." Sam answered simply, emotion evident in his voice.

"I know the feeling." Jules chuckled. "But I was referring to your pain level. Do you need anything?"

"Not just yet." Sam whispered. "I want a few more moments of peace with my wife before the room bursts with doctors, nurses and everyone else." Sam explained.

"You won't have to worry about that." Jules smirked at the look of confusion on Sam's face. "The only doctored allowed anywhere near your room is Captain Sanders. There may be a couple of nurses but Sander's is overseeing your medical treatment."

"How'd he manage that?" Sam asked his voice hoarse from his dry throat.

"He came here while you guys went to Rogue Park." Jules explained as she stood to get Sam a drink of water, reluctant to let go of his hand. "He arranged everything. We currently hold a corner of the hospital hostage. He arranged three private rooms together away from everyone else. He's in charge of everything. He's quite a force to be reckoned with it seems."

Jules held the cup and straw for Sam as he took a drink of water. When he was through she set the cup on the bedside table and took his hand once again.

"Jules, I'm sorry." Sam said softly as he settled his head back on his pillow and met his wife's eyes.

"Why are you sorry Sam? You have nothing to be sorry for." Jules reached up and ran a hand through his hair, something that always seemed to calm him.

"I wasn't here for you. I left within forty eight hours of when Williams gave me my orders. I barely talked to you at all while I was gone. I'm sure you stressed a lot more than you needed to while I was being held captive. I wasn't here for Sadie's first birthday, or the birth of our child. You needed me and _I wasn't here!_ " Sam couldn't stop the tears that flowed as he poured his heart out. He had been carrying this burden for months!

"Sam!" Jules moved to where she was right in front of Sam's face as she spoke. "You have _nothing_ to apologize for. You were following orders. You did what you had to do to protect this family. There is no way you could have foreseen that you would be gone so long, that you would be taken captive. It was all out of your hands. You did the best that you could and you _came home_! That! That is what's important. You're here now, _alive_ , because you fought everyday to come home to us. Don't ever feel bad for that." Jules took a shaky breath. "Don't you ever apologize for doing what you had to do."

Jules pulled Sam into as much of a hug as she could without fear of aggravating his injuries. "I love you Sam." She whispered before placing a kiss on his forehead.

"I don't deserve you Jules." Sam said softly as she held him.

"I know." Jules teased. She pulled back enough for him to see her face. "And I don't deserve you. But guess what..." She gave him her ornery look. "Despite everything we've been through we are here, together, husband and wife, and we have the two most beautiful kids in the world. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Sam and Jules simply held each other in silence for several minutes, neither one wanted to let go for anything.

* * *

**Outside Sam's Hospital room - 2 Days** **After Rogue Park Incident**

Sanders smiled as he watched the couple in the room. He had walked up to the window just before Braddock awoke, he was on his way to check in on his patient. However, when he saw the couple talking he decided to give them space. They needed this time alone together before being interrupted. He stood and watched for several minutes. He was thankful that Braddock had come home, he just wished that the young man hadn't had to go through the torture that he had endured at the hands of Akbar. Sanders hoped that now Braddock would be permanently released from service and allowed to return home, to his family and the SRU. They needed him more than the Army did.

As Baird approached Captain Sanders he saw the smile on the other man's face and felt relieved. The smile could only mean one thing...Braddock had finally woken up. It was about time too. The sniper had been sleeping for two days straight now and Baird had started to worry.

"How is he Captain?" Baird asked as he came to stand next to the doctor.

"He's awake. I haven't gone in to check in him yet though." Sanders answered as he offered the other young soldier a smile.

"Why not?" Baird asked before looking into Braddock's room. "Ah, that's why." He smiled.

"I wish I could leave them be indefinitely, but I need to check on him and give him some more meds for the pain." Sanders commented as he put his hands in his pockets.

"I'm sure he'll understand." Baird said as he turned. "I'm going to tell the rest of the guys that he's awake."

Sanders nodded his head as the other man walked away then went to go see to his patient.

* * *

**Sam's Hospital Room - 2 Days After Rogue Park Incident**

Sam's gaze turned to the door to his hospital room when it opened. He smiled as Captain Sanders walked in. The man had done a lot for him while he was gone, and apparently now as well. He needed to give the man his thanks.

"How are you doing Braddock?" Sanders asked as he walked up to the side of the bed.

"Good." Sam smiled as his eyes met Jules'. "Really good."

"That's good to hear. How's your pain level?"

"Back is about a three, side is going from a six to a seven." Sam answered honestly, knowing he'd get in trouble if he didn't do so.

"Good. I'll get you another dose of pain meds. Should have you feeling better soon." Sanders moved around the room to take care of the pain medication for Sam as he talked. "You were lucky Braddock. The blade missed everything major. Had to put in some stitches to close the wound, but you should have a relatively easy recovery from that. I still want to keep you for a couple of days or so for observation considering everything you've been through the last few months. However, you should be able to go home soon."

"That would be great." Sam sighed. He could feel the pain meds entering his system and taking the edge of his pain.

"I'm going to check on your side and see how it's healing."

"I'll step out and give the Team a call. They'll be happy to know that you're awake." Jules stood, placed a kiss on Sam's lips, then headed out to the hallway just outside Sam's room to make the necessary phone calls while the Doctor checked Sam. Just as she was hanging up from the last call she looked up to see the rest of Sam's Unit heading her way.

"Mrs. Braddock, we heard he's awake." Jackson smiled as the Unit joined her in the hallway.

"I've told you, call me Jules. Please." Jules smiled at the men gathered around her. "Yes, he's awake. Captain Sanders is checking him over right now."

"I'm so glad he's finally back with us." Cole sighed in relief. It had been a stressful few days. Well...few months actually.

"You can go in and see him if you want." Jules offered as she headed toward the door herself. "I'm sure he won't mind."

"Thank you ma'am." Williams smiled as he fell in step behind her.

"I told you..." Jules started to comment.

"We know...call you Jules." Baird smirked at the look on her face. He could see why Braddock couldn't stop talking about her.

Sam looked to the door as Jules came back in, the Unit close on her heels. He smiled.

"Hey guys."

"Braddock, good to see you've finally decided to stop napping." Williams commented, his face making it clear that he was simply joking.

"Yeah, well. No one under your command ever gets to sleep." Sam teased back. He looked over his gathered group of friends. Cole, Williams, and Adams looked like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. They were obviously relieved that they were all home. Jackson and Baird looked to be doing much better as well. Clearly they had gotten the needed fluids and nutrition that they had been lacking the last several months. He was glad. He had been worried about them.

"Yeah, well, someone has to be the boss." Williams smiled. "How are you?"

"Fine..." Sam answered but couldn't help but laugh at the look he received from Baird at the use of the word. "I'm fine! Just got some meds to help relieve some of the pain in my side from the stab wound. Other than that I'm as healthy as a horse."

Jackson, Baird, and Cole all laughed out loud at that. Braddock was probably right!

"I called the Team. They want to come by in an hour or so and see you if you're up to it." Jules commented as she squeezed Sam's hand in hers.

"I'd love to see them." Sam answered as he smiled at her. The smile was an almost permanent fixture on his face at the moment and he was perfectly fine with that.

"Jules, why don't you go home. See the kids, freshen up. You'll feel better if you do." Captain Sanders suggested.

"I don't want to leave you." Jules said to Sam.

"I know, and I don't want you to go. But the Captain's right. You'll feel much better. I'm pretty sure you've been sleeping in this chair ever since I got here. A nice hot shower or bubble bath would help relax you and work out some of the kinks." Sam encouraged. "Besides, it's not like I'll be alone. These ugly guys probably won't leave my side while you're gone."

"Hey!" Cole said sounding offended.

"You know it's true." Sam winked at his friend, eliciting laughter from everyone in the room.

"Go home. Freshen up. Then you can come back and see me. Knowing you you'll be there and back before the Team ever gets here." Sam pleaded. He knew she needed a few minutes alone.

"Fine. You guys will make sure he doesn't do anything stupid?" Jules asked turning to the JTF2 soldiers in the room.

"Scouts honor." Cole smirked as he held his right hand up as if giving an oath.

"Why does that scare me more than leaving him alone?" Jules asked as she looked to Captain Sanders who simply shrugged in response. "I'll be back in an hour. I love you." She leaned down to kiss Sam one last time before heading home to freshen up.

"See you in an hour. I love you too Jules." Sam reached out and pulled her in for one last kiss before she left.

As soon as Jules was out of sight of Sam's room he turned to the gathered me in the room.

"Hey guys, I was wondering if you could help me with something."


	31. A New Addition

**St. Simon's Hospital - Sam's Room**

"I still can't believe you talked us into this Braddock." Baird commented as he stood with his arms across his chest and his back to the door.

"What? It's not like I'm checking out AMA." Sam called from inside the room.

"Are you _sure_ this was a good idea?" Jackson asked as he looked to Captain Sanders.

"It's fine with the parameters we put in place." Sanders answered as he helped the nurse finish changing the sheets on Braddock's bed.

"Doesn't mean we have to like it." Cole muttered from where he was leaning against the window frame.

"Oh come on men, it's not that bad." Williams smiled as he looked around the room at the big bad JTF2 men who were sulking. "You're just jealous."

"Am not..."

Sam smiled at the banter going back and forth between his Unit mates on just the other side of the door. It had taken a bit of convincing but he had managed to convince Captain Sanders that this was best for his mental health, which wasn't entirely a fib. He took a deep breath as the water cascaded down his back. The warmth felt good on his sore body and it helped him relax while easing the tension in his muscles at the same time. He had really needed this, for more reasons than one.

Finally, after almost twenty minutes in the warm shower he turned off the water, grabbed the towel that was nearby and dried his hair and chest carefully. He was careful to make sure he didn't bump his stitches in any way. Once done with that he slowly stood from the chair the guys had insisted he use in the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist.

"I'm done." Sam called as he slowly walked to the sink. He still hadn't regained his strength yet.

Baird and Jackson entered the bathroom at Braddock's call that he was done. They made quick work of helping to dry his back, being cautious of the still tender wounds, shave, a quick haircut, and change into a clean pair of sweatpants. They then guided him back to his room and helped him get comfortably situated on his left side. Captain Sanders had explained that he needed to stay on his side as much as possible in order to keep from hurting his back or side any more.

Sanders reattached the IV to Braddock's right arm and made sure the stitches in his side were still in tact before re-bandaging the wound. He smiled as he finished. "Feel better now?"

"Very much so. Thank you." Sam sighed as he sank back into the pillow.

"So, we all know this wasn't really for your sanity. Why did you _actually_ want a shower, shave, and haircut?" Jackson asked curiously. He had spent enough time with the Sergeant to know when the man was holding something back.

"Okay, fine. I'll tell you." Sam met Jackson's eyes. "Jules went home to shower and freshen up. She's going to change, brush her hair, probably put makeup on."

"You wanted to look good for your little lady didn't you?" Cole asked as he pushed off the window that he was leaning on and came to stand next to Braddock's bed.

"Wouldn't you?" Sam asked, a boyish grin on his face. "I haven't seen her in almost a year. Except for when I woke up I want to look and smell good for my amazing, beautiful wife who has had to put up with _so much_ the last several months. The least I can do is be presentable when she comes back."

"Which is why I agreed to it." Sanders laughed at the look all six men in the room gave him. "What? I'm not as clueless as you may think!" With that Sanders left the room and disappeared down the hall.

"Want us to stick around?" Williams asked, noting that it was almost the time that Jules said the SRU guys would start showing up.

"Nah, I'm good. It won't hurt for me to be alone for a few minutes before the SRU invades." Sam smiled at his friends. "Thanks for your help guys."

"Anytime Braddock." Williams turned to leave the room. "You need anything you just call."

"Yes Sir!" Sam offered a small salute in response.

Once all the men left his room he closed his eyes for just a minute. The shower had taken more out of him than he wanted to admit.

* * *

"Do you think he's _really_ asleep?" Spike whispered loudly to Winnie. They had been the first two to arrive at the hospital and Sam _appeared_ to be sleeping when they arrived.

"He won't be for long if you keep talking that loudly." Winnie answered softly as she grabbed Spike's arm and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"He looks a _lot_ better today. The rest must finally be paying off." Spike reached up and placed a hand on Winnie's.

"Yeah, except a guy can't get much sleep with you yelling so loudly." Sam commented softly as he opened his eyes and smiled at his friends.

"Samtastic!" Spike walked over to the bed and sat in the chair Jules had been in earlier. "I'm _so_ glad you're home!"

"Me too Spike." Sam smiled. "Hey Winnie."

"Hey Sam. I'm glad you're feeling better." Winnie smiled back as she walked up behind Spike and put her hands on his shoulders. She immediately noticed Sam's gaze and her smile grew.

"When did _that_ happen?" Sam asked as he nodded his head to where Winnie's hand was resting on Spike's shoulder.

"What?" Spike asked as he looked between Winnie and Sam, clearly confused.

"About three months ago." Winnie answered.

"What? Oh! Yeah!" Spike's face split into a wide grin. "Hey Samtastic, guess what!"

"What Spike?" Sam played along.

"She said yes!" Spike beamed as he reached up and took Winnie's left hand.

"Congratulations guys!" Sam grinned. He reached out and patted Spike on the shoulder, the best he could do for now. "When's the wedding?"

"We haven't decided yet." Spike answered.

"Well why not?" Sam asked.

"We wanted to wait until you were home Sam." Winnie answered softly, her smile firmly in place.

Sam was shocked.

"Why would you wait?"

"Because Sam. There's only one man in the world now that could be my best man. I kinda want him to be at the wedding." Spike answered, suddenly turning serious. "I want you to be my best man, if you want that is."

"I'd be honored Spikey." Sam answered, adding a hint of humor to his words.

"Okay, on one condition then." Spike narrowed his eyes at Sam.

"What's that?" Sam was curious.

"You are _not_ allowed to call me Spikey at the wedding!" Spike declared.

"Why not?" Winnie bent down so she was next to Sam's ear. "I think Spikey's kinda sexy." She whispered.

Sam couldn't help but laugh when Spike's face turned beet red. His friend was spared further embarrassment when Sarge and Dean walked into the room.

"Who started the party without us?" Greg asked, noting the looks the three were sharing.

"Apparently Spike did when he proposed." Sam answered as he looked to his former boss and friend.

"How you doing Sam?" Greg asked seriously as he looked him over.

"Feeling much better. Thanks." Sam answered honestly.

"Hey Sam. I'm glad you're home." Dean commented as he stood next to his father with his hands in his pockets.

"Thanks, me too."

"Samo!"

"Ed!" Sam took in a deep breath as he looked at the man who had been by his side when he eliminated to two worst men he had ever encountered in his life. "Thanks for all your help the other day. It really means a lot to me that you were there."

"There is no where else I would rather be." Ed replied, repeating Sam's words back to him.

"Sophie, it's good to see you again." Sam greeted.

"It's good to see you too Sam." Sophie smiled. Ed was right, Sam had been through a lot if his wounds were any indication. And yet he seemed happy at the moment.

"Clark, you been holding down the fort while I've been gone?" Sam asked as he looked at the young man.

"You know, it's been hard. These guys are always getting into trouble." Clark answered in all seriousness.

"I think we handled the pressure well." Dean piped up as he stood next to his friend.

"Well, the whole Team's in one piece so I guess you guys did good." Sam laughed.

"What about me?" Wordy asked as he entered the room with Shelley at his side.

"Wordy, my man. How are you?" Sam's smile couldn't have gotten any bigger at the moment if he wanted it to.

"Doing good." Wordy answered.

"We missed you Sam. We're really glad you're home." Shelly greeted, her hand in Wordy's

"Yes we are." Jules said from the doorway. She had arrived just behind Wordy.

Jules smiled as she took in the room. Someone had opened the curtains allowing the sunshine to come in. Sam also looked more refreshed, like he had showered, not to mention he had clearly cut his hair and shaved.

At the sound of Jules' voice Spike stood and the group made room for Jules to move to Sam's bedside.

"Hey handsome." Jules whispered as she leaned down to kiss her husband.

"Hey beautiful." Sam whispered back after they kissed. She truly was beautiful. She had changed into his favorite pair of jeans and blue top. Her hair was down around her shoulders and she had indeed applied some makeup. Not that she needed it. She was beautiful no matter what she was wearing.

The group stayed and visited before Jules glanced at her phone, stood, and left the room. Sam watched her go without saying a word and he wondered what was going on. Moments later though Leah came in.

"Hey Sam. It's good to see you looking better." Leah greeted him.

"It's good to be feeling better." Sam smiled.

"So, do you get to stay since you've eliminated Akbar?" Leah asked the question that they were all thinking.

"I'm not sure yet. It depends on what the brass decides." Sam answered honestly. He was hoping he could stay, but he also knew that the decision was not his to make.

The room was silent for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Until Jules reappeared at the door.

"Sam, are you up for two more visitors?" Jules asked as she peeked into his room.

"Sure." Sam answered curiously. He was anxious to see who else was coming to see him.

"I'm coming Jules." Winnie stated as she exited the room.

"We'll step out and give you guys some space." Sarge commented as he patted Sam's leg. He then turned and motioned for the group to clear out. He knew who else Jules wanted to bring in to see Sam and it was best to be done in private. Well, as private as the walls of windows would allow.

Sam adjusted his position on the bed a bit and looked towards the door. He could see Jules bent over talking to someone but he couldn't see who it was. He got his answer moments later as Jules stood and turned towards his room.

"Sadie! My beautiful baby girl!" Sam just stared as his wife approached, their little girl in her arms. When they reached the bed Jules sat down in the chair and turned Sadie towards Sam.

"Sadie, look who it is. It's Daddy!" Jules crooned as she held the little girl.

Sam just looked at his daughter. She had grown so much while he was gone. When her blue eyes finally met his a huge smile spread across her face and she immediately reached out towards him.

"Easy Sadie. Don't hurt Daddy." Jules warned the child as she carefully passed Sadie to Sam.

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat as he took Sadie from Jules. He brought her immediately to his chest and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him. He buried his nose in her hair and allowed the tears to fall. He had missed her _so much_ the last year. Sadie simply buried herself into Sam as much as she could. Sam held her.

Jules wiped at the tears that she couldn't keep from escaping. Sadie had missed Sam so incredibly much and clearly Sam had missed her just as much or more. The scene before her broke her heart. Sam should have never had to leave his family, his baby girl. She was brought out of her thoughts moments later when she heard Sam whispering to Sadie.

"Daddy's really sorry Sadie girl." Sam whispered as he rubbed his daughters back as she snuggled into him. "I'm sorry I had to leave. I'm sorry I missed your first birthday. I'm sorry I made mommy worry. I wish I could have been here for you baby girl!"

Outside Sam's room everyone was watching through the windows. They were relieved that Sam was finally reunited with Sadie, both had missed the other so much during the last year. Greg couldn't help but smile as he watched Sam play with Sadie for a few moments. Once Sam had gotten through the initial tears he had simply spoken a few words to his daughter then they started playing. It was good for Sam. He had needed this!

Greg's thoughts were interrupted by the cooing of the smallest Braddock. Jules had decided that it was best to take in one child at a time. She had thought that it would be easiest for Sam to deal with the emotions if he saw one at a time instead of both right off the bat. Greg knew that meeting the baby would be an emotional ride for both Sam and Jules and so had agreed with her. He couldn't wait to see Sam's reaction to meeting the newest addition to his family.

Ten minutes after Jules had brought Sadie in she stood.

"Okay Sadie. Time to go play with Aunt Winnie." Jules reached down to pick her up.

Sam gave Sadie one last kiss before Jules picked her up. He knew that there was just one more little person he needed to meet and he hoped that Jules would bring that little person in next. As Sam watched Jules take Sadie out he couldn't help but remember what his family was like when he had left. Jules had just found out that she was pregnant with the baby, she hadn't even started to show yet, Sadie was just a few months old. Things had really changed while he was gone. He took a few deep breaths to center himself before Jules came back in with the baby.

"Are you ready to go meet Daddy?" Jules asked her little bundle of joy as she took the baby from Winnie. Soft coos were the response and Jules smiled. She cradled the baby in her arms and went to go back in to Sam. It was time for him to meet the new addition to the Braddock family.

Sam looked up as Jules entered. She held a little bundle in her arms but he couldn't quite see the baby that she held. She came over to him and sat in the chair beside his bed.

"Hey little one... I want to introduce you to your Daddy." Jules said softly as she lifted the bundle out of her lap and gently laid the baby in the crook of Sam's arm.

Sam looked down at the baby in his arms and once again he had to swallow down the lump of emotion in his throat.

"Jules." Sam whispered as he took in the sight before him. He reached down and placed a hand on the baby. A tiny little hand reached up and grabbed onto his finger. Sam looked up and met Jules eyes. "I have a son?"

Jules could only nod, her emotions were teetering on the edge of a cliff and if she spoke she wouldn't be able to stop the tears that would fall. Watching Sam meet his son for the very first time was something she would _never_ forget.

"I have a son." Sam whispered as he looked down to the tiny baby boy in his arms. He gently lifted the baby to his chest as he kissed his head. "I can't believe I have a son. Jules he's perfect!"

Sam closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He once again couldn't help the tears that flowed as he held his son for the first time. After a couple of minutes he was able to gain control of his emotions. He gently lowered the baby back down to the bed and held him close. He looked to Jules as he gently stroked the tiny hand that held onto his tightly.

"What did you name him?" Sam asked, noting the emotions on Jules' face.

"Well, since we didn't get the chance to talk about it I had to just pick something." Jules smiled softly as she tilted her head to the side while watching father and son interact. "It was actually a pretty easy pick for me. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't." Sam commented.

"You don't even know what it is yet." Jules laughed.

"It doesn't matter. You chose it so it's perfect."

"I named him..." Jules took a deep breath as her eyes met Sam's. "...Matthew Benjamin Braddock."

Sam simply stared at Jules. There were no words in any human language to describe what that meant to him, especially after the last few months. He blinked his eyes rapidly and looked to the ceiling, trying to keep the tears from flowing once again.

"You named him after Matt?" Sam asked softly.

"Was there any other choice?"

"No." Sam looked down to the child in his arms once again. "It's perfect."

"I'm glad you approve." Jules whispered. She knew that naming their son after Matt would mean a lot to Sam and she had hoped that he wouldn't mind that she just chose the name without consulting him. But, she hadn't really had a choice in that either.

"Hello Matthew Benjamin... I'm your Daddy." Sam said softly as he looked at the child who was a spitting image of him. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you were born. Daddy had to be somewhere else. I wish I could have been there, to hold you when you first came into this scary world. But I know your Mommy was amazing. You also have a lot of aunts and uncles that are looking out for you." Little Matt smiled up at him, his blue eyes lighting up at the sound of Sam's voice. "I promise that no matter what I'll always be there for you son. Just like I am for your sister. I will do everything I can to keep bad things from every happening to you. You and Sadie and Mommy are my whole world! When I was gone fighting the bad guys all I could think about was coming home and getting to meet you. And now look, here I am holding you. I don't ever want to let you go!"

Jules wiped at the tears that were once again running down her face. She had known that this moment would be emotional, however, nothing she could have done would have prepared her for this. Sam was home, her family was whole. As she watched father and son bonding for the first time she finally felt like her world was complete.

She looked up as Winnie walked in holding Sadie. Jules quickly stood and took her daughter in her arms, giving Winnie a quick hug in thanks. When she returned to her seat next to Sam she heard one of the most amazing sounds in the world, her baby boy was laughing!

As all the SRU and JTF2 friends stood outside Sam's hospital room there was not a dry eye in the group. They all knew what this moment meant to Sam, and to Jules. For the first time ever Sam was meeting his son. The Braddock family was finally complete, father, mother, son, and daughter. They knew that even though the road ahead would be difficult the little family would get through it. All because they were finally together!

They wouldn't have it any other way!


	32. Unexpected Visitor

**St. Simon's Hospital - Toronto**

Williams smiled as he watched Braddock with his family. He was glad that his friend was finally home, with his family, where he belonged. He hoped that after everything the man had been through Braddock would finally be able to get away from the Army.

"Captain." Jackson called to Williams as he saw two men walking down the hall towards them.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Williams muttered as he turned to the approaching men, the rest of his Unit falling in behind him.

"Captain Williams, how are you and your men doing?" Major Copeland asked curiously.

"Fine, sir!" Williams said as he stood more at attention as the men stopped in front of him.

"Who is that?" Spike whispered to Leah as he gestured to the man next to Major Copeland.

"I have no clue." Leah whispered back.

"Sir, I'd like you to meet Team One from the SRU. They helped us out in Rogue Park a couple of days ago." Williams motioned to the officers that were gathered with them.

"Thank you officers. You have the heartfelt gratitude of the Canadian Army, specifically JTF2." The unknown man said with all sincerity.

"Anytime sir." Ed responded with a smile, his hands in his pockets. He was extremely curious who this man was.

"He looks pretty happy in there." The man observed.

"He just met his newborn boy for the first time just a little bit ago." Williams explained as he and the two newcomers turned to the windows.

"I need to speak with him. I think you all would appreciate being in the room." The man said as he looked at the gathered group before tuning and entering Sam's hospital room.

* * *

**Sam's Room, St. Simon's Hospital - Toronto**

Sam smiled down at his son as he held the bottle. He loved this, holding his child in his arms as they eat or sleep peacefully. Little Matthew was so tiny, so perfect. He would never tire of watching him, just like he would never tire of watching Sadie. He was abruptly brought out of his thoughts at the sound of the door opening. He stiffened when he saw two new men enter, the group that had been gathered outside close behind them.

"Commander." Sam started to adjust his position but was stopped when one of the newcomers raised his hand to stop him.

"At ease Sergeant. No need to disturb your son."

"Sam?" Jules looked at the men questioningly. She only recognized the Major and was curious who the other man was.

"Sirs, this is my wife Jules, daughter Sadie, and son Matthew." Sam introduced his family. "Jules, this is Major Copeland, commander of Joint Task Force Two. And this is the Commander of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, Commander Baxter." Sam nodded at the men as he introduced them.

"It's good to meet you Commander. Major, good to see you again." Jules commented as she held Sadie in her arms. She couldn't help but wonder why the highest ranking special forces officer was in Sam's hospital room.

"It's good to meet you too Ma'am." Baxter shook her hand. He smiled when Sadie laughed. "You have a beautiful family Braddock."

"Thank you sir!"

"Now, I'm sure you've figured out that I'm not here just to say hi." Baxter smiled as he looked back at the soldier on the bed. He had heard about some of the injuries that the three men had received while in Akbar's hands, but seeing it with his own eyes was anther matter entirely. "I want to start by thanking Sergeant Braddock, Corporal Baird, and Private Jackson for your valor while in the hands of the enemy. Your dedication to your country and your Unit have _not_ gone unnoticed. Your country thanks you!"

Commander Baxter took a moment to let his words process before continuing.

"I've spoken at length with Major Copeland. It has come to my attention that things were not handled correctly with this Unit over the last year. I want you all to know, but especially you Braddock, that my office is looking into several allegations of misconduct within the highest branches of JTF2 command." Baxter shifted his weight. "It is my understanding that the intel this Unit received was outdated and manipulated to fit the desires of two high ranking JTF2 officials. This is unacceptable behavior and comes with very strong consequences. This _will not_ happen again. This I can promise!"

Sam closed his eyes for a moment and let the Commanders words sink in. He knew. He knew everything that the General had done and had just promised to handle it. He had always known that he could trust Baxter. The man had never been anything but good to him, treated him fairly. If anyone could make this right it would be him.

"Now, on to the real reason why I'm here." Commander Baxter smiled as he looked at Sam and Jules. "I was also informed that you were unjustly recalled. Due to the terms of your contract you were only supposed to be recalled to full active duty based upon certain criteria set in place by the administration before me. The details of your recall lead me to believe that certain events and documents were manipulated in order to facilitate your recall."

Sam watched Baxter closely, trying to figure out exactly where he was going with this. He knew what he hoped the man was saying, but was trying not to get to excited about it in case he was wrong.

Jules reached out and took Sam's hand in hers. She couldn't help but be hopeful.

Baxter pulled on is official Commander persona.

"Sergeant Samuel W. Braddock, long range marksman and JTF2 operative. Due to the events at Rogue Park two days prior your target, terrorist Abdul Akbar, has been effectively eliminated. Therefore I, Commander Baxter, as the Commander of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command hereby release your from the Canadian Army's Joint Task Force Two Unit Justice League." He paused for effect.

Around the room there were exclamations of joy. All those gathered in the room had been hoping that Sam would actually be released once Akbar was eliminated, but they also knew that the General was in charge of Sam's military career. They were all thrilled that Sam had been released, he could go home.

Sam closed his eyes and allowed his head to sink into his pillow for a moment. He was released. He didn't have to go right back to the dessert. The only thing that would be better would be if somehow he could get out of the remainder of the five year recall he had on his contract. Unfortunately it would take a miracle for that to happen.

"There is more." Baxter smiled as Braddock's eyes shot open and met his. "Just before my arrival here I had a long conversation with the Minister of Nation Defense."

Jules sucked in a breath. She knew that the Minister had the ultimate say in anything Army related. This could only go one of two ways, really good or really bad.

"The Minister was very aware of all that your Unit has accomplished in the last year. Upon discussion he informed me that as of midnight the night Abdul Akbar was eliminated you were not only released from your current recall mission, but he also terminated your recall contract in it's entirety. He offers his thanks for your service and well wishes for a speedy recovery." Baxter could see the moment the news fully registered with Braddock, the smile that crossed the man's face was unforgettable.

"Thank you sir! And please, extend my deepest gratitude to the Minister on my behalf." Sam finally managed to say, his voice heavy with emotion.

"Sam?" Jules looked at her husband closely. "Sam, what does that mean?"

"That means, Jules..." Sam looked at her, squeezed her hand, and smiled. "It means that I don't have to worry about ever being recalled again. He effectively rendered the remaining five years on my recall contract as unenforceable. I'm free!"

"You're free...completely free?" Jules asked incredulously.

"I'm free!"

Jules stood and moved closer to Sam, Sadie in her arms. She gently pulled him into a hug and Sam turned his face into her, unable to hold in the tears of relief.

"You're finally free." Jules whispered as she held Sam close.

"We'll give you guys a minute." Ed said softly as he gestured for everyone else to leave the room. All of Team One and the JTF2 Unit followed him out quietly. All were relieved at the news. The only ones to remain in the room were Major Copeland and Commander Baxter.

After a couple of minutes Jules finally pulled away and returned to her seat, holding Sadie close in her arms. Sam wiped the moisture off of his face before touching baby Matthew gently. He took a deep breath and looked to the two officers.

"Thank you! You have no idea what this means to me." Sam finally managed.

"I told you I always take care of my men." Major Copeland commented, smiling at Sam. "I learned from the Commander."

"You taught him well sir."

"I like to think so." Commander Baxter smiled. "Well, I won't take up any more of your precious family time. I will want to debrief with you but it can wait until you're released from here. Enjoy your family Braddock."

"I will sir, thank you!" Sam adjusted the bottle in his hand as he smiled down at his son.

"Now, I get to go make a video call to a certain General and congratulate him on his Unit's success in apprehending and eliminating a known terrorist. It will be fun to see his reaction to the news, especially as he seems to not know where his Unit's been for several days." Commander Baxter commented, humor evident in his voice. "Get well soon Braddock. That's an order."

"I'm not under your command anymore sir..." Sam smirked, almost laughing at the shocked look on Baxter's and Copeland's faces. "...but that's an order I don't mind following."

Copeland laughed as he turned and followed the Commander out of Sam's room. They spent a moment talking to the group outside before heading back to the Commanders office. They had a video call to make that would change the dynamics of the current JTF2 command, permanently.

* * *

**General Braddock's Office, Main JTF2 Base - Afghanistan**

"Private! Tell me you have an update on William's Unit!" General Braddock called from his office. They had spent the last three days trying to track down _one_ Unit. He was beyond frustrated at the lack of information.

"Nothing Sir. They went dark for their last mission and no one seems to have heard from them since, or the SEAL's that they were with." The Private answered. He was exhausted! He hoped that something showed up soon because General's Braddock and Baird were beyond demanding at this point.

"FIND ME SOMETHING OR I'LL END YOUR CAREER PRIVATE!"

"Yes Sir!" The Private closed the door to the Generals office and returned to his desk. He lowered his head into his hands and sighed. _Is this ever going to end?_ He thought.

After a moment there was an alert on his computer. Someone was requesting a video call with the General. "Great, _this_ is going to end well." He thought as he accepted the request and rose to inform the General. He knocked tentatively on the office door, wincing at the yelled command to enter. "Sir, there is a video request from Toronto."

"Then patch it though Private! Seriously, are all the men under my command as incompetent as you are?" The General roared.

The Private went back to his desk and patched through the call. As he finished a Lieutenant dropped an envelope on his desk. He looked up for a moment before opening the envelope at the Lieutenants nod. He sighed with relief when he read the documents inside. They were transfer orders. He was no longer under General Braddock's command effective immediately.

Inside the General's office Braddock sat down heavily at his desk. His eyes met those of Baird for a moment and the friends shared a brief look of concern. Neither man knew why someone from Toronto would want to video chat with them.

"General Braddock."

"Commander Baxter, to what do I owe the pleasure?" General Braddock asked curiously.

"I wanted to congratulate you on a job well done." Commander Baxter smiled.

"Thank you, sir." General Braddock was careful to not allow his confusion to show. Lieutenant General Baird however did not and he gave Braddock a confused look.

"The world is a better place now that Akbar and his son Oracle have been eliminated. Please, extend your thanks to your Unit." Baxter paused for a moment for effect. "I hadn't heard, where exactly did they finally manage to eliminate him?"

"About twenty kilometers outside of Ghazni." General Braddock lied. He had thought he remembered Williams mentioning that Akbar had a compound around there somewhere.

"Really? That's strange." Commander Baxter leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Because I could have sworn that I just saw Captain Williams and his _entire_ Unit here in Toronto."

"Really?" General Braddock was confused. How had his men managed to get to Toronto without his knowledge?

"Yes General...really." Baxter glared at the General on the screen. "Oh, and by the way. Your son is alive and well, not that you've ever cared."

Braddock opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by the Commander.

"General Braddock, you are hereby relieved of duty pending an investigation into to allegations of conduct unbecoming an officer, neglect of those within your chain of command, unlawful recall of a soldier, and more. You are ordered to return to Toronto on the next available flight and report to my office immediately upon arrival. Failure to do so will result in even more charges being brought against you to include failure to follow a direct order from the Commander of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. Am I understood?" Baxter paused as he leaned forward, waiting for an answer. He almost smiled when he saw the General's face blanch.

"Yes sir." Braddock answered barely above a whisper.

"Oh, and tell Lieutenant General Baird that the orders apply to him as well. Both of you are a disgrace to the Canadian Special Forces and will be dealt with accordingly." Baxter paused for a moment and took a breath. "I expect to see you both in my office in forty eight hours or less. Do. Not. Be. Late." With that Baxter signed off and looked up, meeting the eyes of Major Copeland across the desk from him.

"Do you think they'll show?" Copeland asked curiously.

"If they don't then they will have the whole of the Canadian Army looking for them, and a few Americans too if I suspect correctly." Baxter answered with a smile.

"I would hate to be them."

"Me too Major...me too."


	33. Nightmare

**Outside Sam's Room, St. Simon's Hospital - Toronto**

It had been several hours since Major Copeland and Commander Baxter had delivered the news to Braddock that he was officially free of the Army, forever. Braddock's SRU family had spent a couple of hours with the man and his family, chatting and catching up on each other's lives. Williams and his JTF2 Unit had stepped out to allow them privacy. It had taken a couple of hours before Braddock started to show how tired he was, which meant he was already exhausted. He had a knack for hiding just how worn out he really was so the fact that other's could see it meant that he really was at the end of his energy and would probably pass out soon.

The group had slowly filed out, in ones and twos, leaving just Braddock's family in the end. Williams had smiled. He had been bidding the officers goodbye when he noticed the small family. Baby Matthew had fallen asleep in his daddy's arms and little Sadie was asleep with her head on her mother's shoulder. Thankfully Spike and Winnie were waiting to help the mother take her children home. Jules Braddock clearly didn't want to leave her husband, but after a discussion about it being best for the children she finally agreed. Williams simply smiled, wishing he had someone that cared for him like Jules did for her husband.

"You look like you could use some sleep yourself Captain." Spike commented as he watched the man. Spike didn't remember ever seeing the man rest, surely he had to be exhausted by now too.

"I'm fine Constable Scarlatti." Williams replied as he turned to look at the Italian. He almost laughed at the look the other man gave him. "I'm sorry, I mean Spike."

"Better." Spike tilted his head to the side and smiled. "But really, you should get some rest too."

"I will, soon enough."

"I know you're still worried about him, but he's going to be perfectly fine. He's home now, with his wife and children. He doesn't have to go back to the Army." Spike commented.

"You're right. Now he can go home with his family and back to the SRU where he belongs. He's done a lot of good in the Army but he can do just as much, if not more good in the SRU." Williams looked back through the window to his friend inside. "I'm just worried about what his time in the Army has done to him."

"You know, I may not know what he had to go through this time, but I do know this. He went through hell in the Army before he joined the SRU. It wasn't easy but he was able to move on, put that nightmare behind him." Spike smiled. "If he can get through _that_ , through losing his best friend, then he can get through this too. Besides, one can't dwell in the past too much with little Sadie around."

Williams couldn't help the small laugh that escaped. Spike was right, Braddock was strong both physically and mentally. If anyone could get through this it would be him.

"Spike, can you take Sadie so I can put Matt in the car seat please." Jules asked as she stood in the doorway.

"Sure thing. Come here Sadie bug. Come see Uncle Spikey." Spike took the mostly sleeping child from Jules and Sadie immediately cuddled up to him. He wrapped both arms around her and held her close. "You ready to go home Sadie? I bet you'll sleep good tonight after seeing Daddy won't you?"

Winnie smiled as she watched Spike whisper softly to Sadie. She knew that Spike would be a good father, just like Sam was to Sadie and Matt. She couldn't wait to give Spike a child of his own to cuddle and hold like he was doing now.

"Okay guys, let's get these kids home so they can sleep. The sooner they sleep the sooner they can come back and see daddy again." Jules commented as she tucked the blanked around Matt.

"Thank you for everything that you've done for Sam." Jules said with all sincerity.

"Of course Jules. He's family!" Williams smiled. "Speaking of family, yours is gorgeous."

"Thank you!" Jules looked fondly between Sadie and Matt. "Well, I had better get these two home and to bed."

"Don't worry, we've got his back." Williams reminded her just before she walked away.

"I know." Jules simply smiled before she walked out with Spike and Winnie. Today had been a good day!

* * *

**Two Hours Later**

Sanders had just checked on both Baird and Jackson and was about to walk into Braddock's room when he heard it. There was murmuring and sounds of pain from inside the room. His pulse quickened and he could suddenly feel the adrenaline coursing through his body. He may be a medic, but he was also a soldier. The sounds from inside the room were clearly ones of a man in pain and Sander's first reaction was that he needed to figure out who was harming his patient.

Once he entered the room it took Sanders only a couple of seconds to realize what was going on. Braddock was in the throes of a bad nightmare. He knew firsthand from working with soldiers suffering from PTSD that to wake a man from a nightmare would be dangerous, especially after everything that Braddock had gone through during this last tour. He turned and quickly left the room, in search of the men capable of waking Braddock before he hurt himself.

"Williams!" Sanders called as he entered the hall. The man had last been seen sleeping in a chair in the hall and thankfully woke when his name was first called.

"What is is? What's wrong?" Williams was suddenly alert. The urgency in the doctors voice fully waking him from a dead sleep instantly.

"It's Braddock. He's having a nightmare." Sanders quickly explained.

"I'm coming." Williams quickly stood to follow the other man to Braddock's room.

"What's going on?" Jackson asked, having woken when Sanders called for Williams.

"Braddock. Nightmare." Williams answered in explanation.

"Coming. Baird, get off your ass. Braddock needs us." Jackson called as he quickly followed his CO past Baird's room to where Braddock was sleeping.

"Shit!" Baird quickly got out of bed and followed the men. He was concerned that Braddock was having a nightmare. There were so many things it could be. He hoped that they could wake him before he injured himself.

Williams immediately began calling out to Braddock when he entered the room. He tried calling out in a soft voice, then in a commanding tone, hoping the order would snap the man out of whatever nightmare gripped him at the moment. Everything he tried wasn't working.

"Shhhh." Baird suddenly said. The room went silent except for the sounds coming from Braddock.

"No! Don't hurt them!" Sam called out in his sleep. The pain in his voice evident to all who were in the room. "I won't tell you anything if you hurt them!"

Jackson met Baird's eyes. They knew exactly what this nightmare was about!

"Give us room." Baird ordered. Both superior officers backed up to give them room without question.

"Braddock, it's okay. Baird and I are here with you, we're safe." Jackson said softly as he knelt next to the bed by Braddock's head.

"He has no control over you anymore. The Unit found us, the brought us out. You're not there." Baird spoke softly, knowing that a commanding, loud voice was the last thing that Braddock needed right now.

Suddenly a scream of pain erupted in the room and it was all Williams could do to keep it together.

"Braddock, come on man. We're not there!" Jackson pleaded.

"Any idea?" Sanders asked as he looked to Williams. Both men were very concerned for Braddock at the moment.

"No." Williams answered simply. He wished he could take the pain away from his men.

"What's going on?" Cole asked as he and Adams came to the door in the room.

"Nightmare."

"Well wake him up!" Adams said, frustrated that they hadn't done so already.

"We're trying!" Sanders snapped. _Trust me, if I could wake him I would have done so already._ He thought with frustration.

Finally, after a several moments of hushed pleading Jackson and Baird managed to wake Sam from his nightmare. All the men in the room were thankful that he had finally woken.

"Braddock?" Baird asked quietly once the other man's eyes had opened. "You're safe. We're home. He can't hurt us anymore."

"Come on buddy, come back to us." Jackson pleaded. Braddock's eyes still seemed so far away from them at the moment. Thankfully, though, blue eyes finally cleared and finally they could see that Braddock was back with them.

"Welcome back man." Baird smiled softly. "You're in the hospital in Toronto. Do you remember?"

"Yeah, I remember." Sam stated simply, his throat dry from the screams. _I remember everything._ He thought sadly.

Jackson looked up and smiled when Sanders handed him a cup of water.

"Here, drink this. You'll feel better." Jackson offered Braddock the straw and held the cup so he could drink.

Sam almost sighed in relief. He obviously had just had a nightmare, and it had been a bad one. After he took a drink he closed his eyes for a moment and took in as deep a breath as he could.

The Unit watched Braddock closely. They were all relieved that he had woken, but most were curious as to what exactly his nightmare had been about. It was clearly a bad one if the screams were any indication.

As they watched Braddock closed his eyes and took in a breath. When he did so his right hand moved to one of the scars on his chest. To Sanders it looked like his patient was checking to see if it had really happened. He knew the nightmare had to have been about his time as a POW. Sadly he knew what had caused that particular scar on the mans chest, and many others like it. Braddock had been repeatedly stabbed.

"Sorry to interrupt your beauty sleep." Sam finally whispered as he looked to Baird and Jackson.

"We're not the ones that need it." Jackson smirked and crossed his arms in front of him.

"Jackson's right. _You're_ the one that needs beauty sleep the most!" Baird teased as well.

The Unit all laughed at the exchange. The topic had effectively shifted from Braddock's nightmare on to lighter things. They chatted and teased each other for several minutes before Sam's curiosity got the better of him.

"So, I've been wondering. How did the press explain Rogue Park?" Sam asked as he looked at those in the room around him.

"Training." Cole smirked.

"Training? They said that the SRU was training with JTF2?" Sam shifted slightly.

"No. The press thinks that most of the SRU Teams were doing a joint training in the park that day. They had it locked down so tight that no one got in or out once SRU cleared it." Williams explained. "No one saw us go in or out. They don't even know that the Army was there."

"Sounds like someone spun a pretty impressive web of lies." Sam commented as he looked at Adams.

"What can I say. I like making things up." Adams smiled as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I think it's time we let my patients get some rest. It's been a long few days for everyone." Sanders commented. He hadn't missed the look of exhaustion on Braddock, Jackson, and Baird's faces. "Everyone should go home. You can come back tomorrow and visit."

Everyone bid Sam goodbye, Jackson and Baird making him promise that he would yell if he needed anything. He promised he would if they would do the same and five minutes later Cole was the only person left in Sam's room.

"When we packed up your gear over there Williams found this." Cole pulled out the manila envelope that Sanders had given Braddock on his last visit to the main JTF2 base. He placed it on the bedside table. "We didn't open it. It's contents are for you alone. However, I thought that maybe, now that you're free of the Army, you might want to take a look at it's contents."

Sam stared at the envelope. It was the one that was from Jules. He would recognize her handwriting anywhere. He had been so excited when Sanders had given it to him, but he had never had the chance to open it. To this day he wondered what was inside.

"Thank you Cole." Sam finally managed after swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Anytime Braddock. Get some sleep. We'll be back tomorrow." Cole squeezed Braddock's shoulder before turning to leave. He would come back after the man had gotten some sleep.

Sam turned his gaze back to the envelope on the bedside table and smiled. He was finally going to get to find out what had taken Jules so long to get to him. He couldn't wait to see what was in the envelope.


	34. Package

**Sam's Hospital Room, St. Simon's Hospital - Toronto**

Sam stared at the envelope on his bedside table for a moment simply in awe that it was there. There were many times during his stay with Akbar that he wished he had taken the few moments needed to open it, to find out what Jules had sent him. Yet, at the same time he was thankful that he hadn't. He still had yet to find out what was in the envelope but there was a good chance that the contents would have made it even harder for him to make it through his captivity.

He reached out and slowly pulled the envelope to the bed. Sam then carefully opened it and peeked inside. It was full of letters. Sam closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. It still smelled like Jules. She must have sprayed the inside of the envelope with his favorite perfume as the scent still lingered inside. He took in several more deep breaths before slowly dumping the contents of the envelope onto the bed beside him.

There were letters, pictures, and hand drawn cards and crafts in the pile. He bit his lip as he gently picked up the picture on the top of the stack. It was of his SRU family. His chosen family. They were all gathered in Ed's backyard and Sam could see the table piled with food behind them. Every one of them had a huge grin on his face and Sam found himself smiling back. Everyone was there, Ed's family, Wordy's family, Spike and Winnie, Jules and the kids, Greg with Dean and Marina, and Leah. He had missed them, more than he could have ever thought possible. He took a moment to remind himself that he was home now and could see them as much as he wanted to. Sam placed the picture on the table beside him, propped up against the lamp that was there so he could see it easily.

Next in the pile were several pictures that had obviously been drawn by the littlest members in the SRU family. There were several each from all three of Wordy's girls and Izzy. Sam carefully looked over each one and admired their handiwork. It warmed his heart to know that even the youngest ones missed him while he was gone.

Below the hand drawn pictures were several letters. Sam drew in a deep breath as he opened the first one. It was from Ed and Sam smiled as he read through it. Ed told him tales of interesting calls, spoke of the fun he was having with Izzy, of the challenges he was facing with Clark, and of the pride he felt for his son. He spoke of the SRU and the crazy rookies that he had seen come through and passed on well wishes from everyone at the barn. Ed told him that he was missed and that everyone was wishing for a quick return, that Sam would stay safe in the field, and that his Unit was watching his six so he could come home in one piece. Ed ended the letter with a reminder that he and everyone back in Toronto was watching out for Jules and the family. They would watch over her, take care of her, and protect her until his return when he could do so himself. As Sam finished the letter he couldn't help but think that Ed would always be a Team Leader, even when he finally decided to retire from the SRU.

He set Ed's letter to the side and picked up one from Sarge. He almost laughed as he thought of Greg as Sarge. The man had not been his Sergeant in over two years and yet everyone from Team One called him that. It was ingrained, as natural as breathing, a nod back to the days when they all worked together seamlessly as one cohesive unit.

Greg's letter started out lighthearted, much as Ed's had. However, it quickly took on a tone of a caring father. Sam's heart ached at the thought. Greg had been more of a father to him than his own had been. Greg had been there for him more times than he could count. Once he had finally found his place in Team One Greg had taken him under his wing, cared about him, looked after his well being. Even while he was gone Greg had kept a close eye on Jules and Sadie, going by often to check on them or do things with them as he regaled in his letter. Greg had taken care of his family just as he promised and that meant more to Sam than he could ever put into words. He smiled and laughed as he read the end of Greg's letter. There was a story of Sadie at the Zoo, feeding giraffes, and the picture that Greg's words painted in his mind brought joy to his tired soul. He knew that with this family by his side he would be able to put away all that had happened in Afghanistan once and for all and move on to live a long and happy life here with his family.

Next in the pile were short letters from Rollie and his Team. They too told stories of interesting Hot Calls and how they had razed the new recruit that was filling in for Sam until his return. They all wished him well and happy hunting. All were confident that he and his Unit would find their target quickly so Sam could come home soon. Sam wished with all his heart that it had happened that way. Sadly though it had not gone as planned which is why he lay here, recovering from more wounds than he cared to count. The only silver lining was that once he was finally released from here he could go home for good.

Sam took a moment to take a few deep breaths before he moved on to Wordy's letter. He had been reading for over an hour now and the love that poured from the letters was more than he could have ever wished for. He had never thought he would find a family like he had in those represented in the letters here.

Wordy's letter was more of an update on his family. Sure, he took a couple of paragraphs to tell Sam that he was missed but the majority of the words on the page were stories of his girls. Sam always knew that the girls owned all of Wordy's heart and soul as a father. Sam hadn't realized how that was even possible until the moment he held Sadie for the first time. Now he just smiled. At the end of Wordy's letter each of his girls had written him a short note telling him that they missed their Uncle Sam. All three told him to get the bad guys soon so that he can come over and play with them again. The childlike innocence was refreshing to Sam and he couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he set Wordy's letters to the side.

Next were letters from both Dean and Clark. Both had graduated High School the year Sam and Jules married. Dean had gone on to join the Police Academy with the goal of one day being on SRU's Team One just like his dad. Clark, however, had gotten a full scholarship to Canada's top musical academy. Both were doing well in their studies and couldn't wait for Sam to get back so that they could go on their promised camping trip. As Sam finished reading he found himself already looking forward to the outing with the boys. Who knew, maybe they'd invite Ed and Spike to go with them this year.

Leah's letter was next. It wasn't long or drawn out, just a quick note to tell him that she was keeping an eye on the Team and was doing her best to keep them out of trouble. However, they both knew the Team so that was quite a challenge. She told a couple of funny stories and simply stated that she hoped he had a quick and safe return.

The next letter in the stack was from Spike. It was clear in the first few lines that his friend had missed him most besides Jules and Sadie. If Sam were being completely honest the same had gone for him as well. Spike's letter was filled with tales of his pranking endeavors, all the crazy calls the Team had been on since Sam's departure, the hazing of all the new rookies to the SRU, and more. Several pages into the letter Spikes tone changed as he started to talk of his relationship with Winnie. He had determined that she was the one he wanted to marry and he had even gone out ring shopping a couple of times. Spike had wished Sam had been there to help, but he knew that Sam was needed where he was and would be back as soon as he could. Spike outlined how he wanted to propose to Winnie, and his terror that he had read her wrong and she would say no. Sam laughed, Spike shouldn't have been worried. They were inseparable even before he left. He had known, even then, that Spike and Winnie would end up married. He was just glad he would be around to see it happen.

As he laid the letter from Spike aside his eyes landed on the last letter in the stack. It was from Jules. How he wished he had seen this before he was taken captive. He wouldn't have worried about her as much. He carefully opened the letter and began to read.

Jules spent a good deal of her letter telling him stories of Sadie. It was lighthearted, and he laughed often, but he could tell that she knew he would hate the fact that he had missed so much. Thus why she included so many stories. Sam knew she was just trying to help him feel included in his daughters life and for that he was extremely grateful. Yes, it would have been better to be present for each of these events, but simply knowing about them helped eased his guilt just a bit. As she went on he could tell how much she missed him. He didn't even have to read between the lines as towards the end of the letter some of the words were smudged with now dried tear stains. He prayed to God that he would never have to leave her like that again.

One thing that had surprised Sam from Jules' letter was that Sanders' son Tyler had been helping out while he was gone. Even though he was home now the thought that there were several people who looked out for his family eased a bit of the guilt that he had been carrying around for the last year.

As Sam laid aside the letter from Jules his gaze landed on a picture of Jules and Sadie. The two were at a park looking at the camera, their heads tilted towards each other and laughing. In that moment everything seemed right with the world. They were happy, healthy, and home. He couldn't wait to see that look on their faces for himself. There were a couple more pictures of Jules and Sadie and Sam lingered on each, a permanent smile on his face even as a tear escaped.

As Sam picked up the last picture in the stack, the last item that had been in the envelope, he couldn't help the familiar ache of regret. He had been gone from his family for a year, missed so much, including watching this little one develop inside his mommy. In his hand he held a sonogram printout. This would have been one of the first pictures of his little boy and he hadn't been there for it. Jules had had to deal with everything from morning sickness to delivery all by herself all because his so called father wanted him back in the army. As he gazed at the picture, the one that stated that Jules had been expecting a son, tears flowed down his cheeks for everything he had missed. For every Team gathering, for every prank from Spike, every new milestone in Sadie's life, and every moment of his sons. He had lost so much in the months he had been away, he would never get that back.

Sam's head sank back into the pillow and he closed his eyes. He was exhausted both physically and emotionally. He drifted into a deep sleep with the sonogram and a picture of Jules and Sadie in his hand.

* * *

**The Goose, Toronto**

"I can see you all have put a lot of thought into this. Are you sure this is what they want?" Holleran asked as he sipped his beer. Ed, Greg, and Rollie had asked him here to discuss the Team situations now that Sam was back. They had a plan, a very good one too if he were being honest. He just wanted to make sure it was what was best for the officers and Teams of the SRU before he gave his final decision.

"I've spoken at length with Jules about it. She's sure." Ed answered. "If you sign off on it she'll start the process of becoming an instructor at the academy just like Greg. She will also be available to us in times of need as negotiator. Since she's had Matt she would rather be at home with the kids more. Being an instructor would giver her that option. She also stated that she would much rather the kids have at least one parent with a job that didn't require them to be in the line of fire multiple times daily. Jules has loved her time in the SRU and this wasn't an easy decision, however, she has spent a long time thinking about it and I have to agree with her decision."

"Rollie?" Holleran turned to the other Sergeant questioningly.

"I agree with Ed. I think this is probably the best course of action that we could take." Rollie put his elbows on the table, leaned forward, and smiled. "I would hate to keep a momma bear from her cubs."

"What about Jules' replacement Ed?"

"Anderson has already stated that he wasn't to move back to Montreal to be close to his parents again." Ed explained. "If given permission to he would like to see about transferring to the SRU there."

"Rollie, are you good with this plan then?"

"Yeah. Dukes has meshed with the Team better than I thought he would. He's a great tactition, his long range scores are high, and he can actually negotiate. I think keeping him would be beneficial for the SRU." Rollie answered truthfully.

"Very well then. As long as the Braddocks are willing to sign off on the paperwork then I approve the changes." Holleran sighed. "The SRU will miss Jules but she'll be key in training up new officers that will one day grace the halls of the Barn. I'll be happy to approve the transfer for Anderson. Good SRU officers are needed more places than just Toronto. As for Sam and Dukes, I think you men are right. I don't want to tear Dukes away from a good thing and having Sam back on Team One will be good for everyone. Ed, you, Spike, and Leah know Sam and what he's been through before. I think it will be good for him to be back on Team One where you guys can keep an eye on him and help him re acclimate to things." Holleran took a deep breath and smiled. "I'll get the paperwork started tomorrow morning."

"Thank you Sir." Ed said with all sincerity, and a huge smile. He knew this was a good decision all round. He just hoped Sam would like the plan. They would find out soon enough.


	35. Good News, Bad News

**Helicopter Transport - Afghanistan**

"I still can't believe we've been called in on charges." Baird muttered as he stared out the helicopter window.

"Me either. We've been so careful. I don't know how that could have put things together." Braddock agreed as he looked at his friend. "I guess we'll have to wait and see what all they've dug up on us before we inadvertently admit to anything they don't know about."

"Good point. We don't want to give them even more to hold against us." Baird laughed as his gaze met that of Braddock.

Both men settled into silence, each lost in their own thoughts. They had left the main JTF2 base only hours after getting the call from Commander Baxter ordering them back to Toronto and to his office to be brought up on charges. General Braddock had left his office in search of his secretary, the Private, in order to get travel arranged only to find the man not there. Instead there was a copy of transfer orders on the his secretaries desk. To say he was furious would be an understatement. It had taken himself and Lieutenant General Baird an hour to find a transport that would be leaving in time to take them to Toronto. Once they had found the ride they would need both men had had to quickly pack their belongings and board a helicopter that would take them to one of the other Canadian Army bases nearby. They would land at the base in about thirty minutes, just ten minutes before the flight was scheduled to depart.

General Braddock couldn't help but wonder what Samuel would have told the Commander to get them to bring two high ranking JTF2 officials to trial. His son had surely lied to get what he wanted and now he and his good friend were going to have to pay for it.

Those thoughts only made the General more agitated. Ever since his daughter had died, no thanks to his good for nothing son, his life had been hell. He had been forced to deal with a boy that had no regard for human life. His son didn't know how to look out for those under his protection, didn't know how to follow orders, had refused the Army life that had belonged to the men in the Braddock family for generations. His son, if he could even call him that anymore, was nothing but a disgrace to the Braddock name. Not one thing Sam did brought honor to his family. Once again he wished that his son had died while in the hands of Akbar the first time. At least that way his hands would have been clean of the matter, at least as far as anyone would know.

Both Generals were brought out of their thoughts to the sound of alarms sounding from the pilot's seat.

"What's going on?" Braddock asked as he leaned forward to speak with the pilot and co pilot.

"We've been targeted by ground forces."

"So evade." Lieutenant General Baird bellowed from his seat.

"I'm trying sirs!" The pilot called as the bird made a dive to the right in an attempt to evade the missiles being launched at them.

General Braddock sat back in his seat and tightened his harness as he looked to Baird. The pilot attempted several more evasion maneuvers before finally he wasn't lucky enough and the tail of the helicopter was ripped clean off. The bird spun in the air as it plummeted to the ground and everyone inside knew that they weren't going to get out of this. Ground forces had shot them down and the chances of them being taken were very high. If they were lucky they would die upon impact.

Blackness claimed both Generals as the helicopter landed hard in the sand.

Some distance away a man stood on the top of a hill with a huge smile on his face. He had succeeded. He had been informed that two high ranking Army officials were en route to the Army base nearby, and that it would be a perfect opportunity for them to be targeted as they would not be travelling with an escort. It had taken a few tries to get the right shot but finally one of his men had been successful. Now all they had to do was go see if anyone had survived.

He and his men started the trek towards the wreckage and he felt intense pride coupled with sadness. If only his Dad and brother had survived their latest trip to Toronto. Akbar would have been so proud!

* * *

**Sam's Room, St. Simon's Hospital - Toronto**

Sam was sitting with Sadie in his lap when Ed, Rollie, and Holleran approached. Jules had arrived earlier this morning with the kids and they had sat together catching up and just enjoying their children. Jules had been surprised that Sam had opened the manila envelope from her just the evening before and when Sam told her the story of why she couldn't stop the tears. After talking about it for some time they had both decided to move past that and get on with their lives. It wasn't long after that when Captain Sanders came in and checked Sam over. He had then shared the happy news that he would release Sam later that afternoon if he promised he would take it easy and allow his body to heal fully before attempting anything even remotely strenuous. In fact, the only thing he was allowed to lift for a while were his children. That was fine by Sam. He was looking forward to some down time.

It had already been a great morning so when the guys from the SRU came in with smiles he felt like it was only going to get better. He had no idea how right he was.

"Morning Sam, it's good to see you up and with a bit more color." Holleran greeted as he entered with Ed and Rollie. It truly was good to see Sam feeling better, even if you could still see the scars that covered his chest.

"Thank you sir. It's hard not to get better when you have this little one as a nurse." Sam smiled as he tickled Sadie gently, eliciting an adorable squeal and laugh from his daughter.

"I'd have to agree with you there Samo. Hard to _not_ be in a great mood with the little ones around." Ed smiled as he tucked his hands in his pockets. He stood next to Jules on one side of the bed as Holleran and Rollie went to stand on the other side of the bed.

"We've come to chat with you about your return to the SRU." Holleran began. He couldn't wait to see what Sam's response to their proposal would be and so decided to get on with the real reason why they were here.

"I'm ready to return as soon as I'm cleared by Sanders and can run through my re qualifications." Sam answered. He was ready to get back to the SRU. It was home, where he belonged, and he had missed it dearly while he had been gone.

"And we're more then ready to have you back as soon as you're given the all clear." Holleran smiled. "What we've come to talk to you about today has more to do with your place in the SRU. Now, before you start to worry, you **_do_** have a place in the SRU. Your return had never been a matter for debate in my opinion. What I'm referring to is which Team you will be a part of upon your return." Holleran paused to let Sam process what he had said for a moment.

 _What Team I'm returning to?_ Sam wondered as he looked at Rollie. His Sergeant was giving nothing away with the look on his face. Sam's gaze turned to Ed who was also guarding his facial expression. However, Sam didn't miss the hint of a smirk on Ed's face and his curiosity grew.

"What do you mean by which Team I will be a part of on my return? Am I not going back to Rollie's Team?" Sam finally asked.

"I've spoken at length with Ed, Rollie, and Greg about it and we have a proposition for you." Holleran shifted his weight, crossed his arms over his chest, and smiled. "We have been informed that Jules would very much like to spend more time at home with the kids. I've also been told that she would like the opportunity to consider teaching at the Academy with Greg. I would very much like to make that a possibility for her. She would be a great asset to the Academy and through her position there would be available should her skills be needed in the field for special consultation."

"So are you keeping her replacement on full time then?" Sam asked curiously. He and Jules had talked this morning about her desire to spend more time at home and this seemed like a great option for her.

"Anderson has requested a full time transfer to Montreal. His paperwork has already been approved. He moves at the end of the month." Holleran paused for a moment before continuing. "Also, your replacement, Dukes, has meshed well with Team Two and Rollie has requested that he be allowed to stay with the Team permanently. That paperwork will be pushed through pending the outcome of this discussion."

Sam looked at Rollie, worried. If Dukes was permanently taking his place on Team Two did that mean Rollie didn't think he could be an asset to the Team anymore?

"Sam, just hear Holleran out before you go thinking the worst." Rollie commented, seeing the thoughts play across Sam's face. The last thing he wanted was for Sam to think he wasn't wanted on Team Two anymore.

"This leaves one spot open on Team One as they will be short a sniper when Anderson moves to Montreal. We were thinking, if you would like the opportunity, that we would transfer you to Team One as Team Leader. We will keep Dukes with Team Two, Anderson can enjoy being closer to family while staying in the SRU, and Jules can take a step back and spend more time with the family." Holleran paused, allowing Sam to process everything. "Does that sound like something you would like?"

They still wanted him! Despite everything that had happened, everything he had put them through with leaving, they still wanted him. Rollie wasn't trying to get rid of him, he was trying to give Sam an opportunity to work with the elite Team One again, with his family. He met Rollie's eyes and saw the huge smile on his face. Rollie knew that eventually Sam wanted to make it back to Team One, but that he wouldn't even consider it with Jules still there. This was his Sergeant giving him the opportunity to go back to where he belonged.

Sam then turned his gaze to Ed and saw the same huge smile on his friends face. It would be good to work with Ed, Spike, and Leah again. It wouldn't be quite like old times, but it would be home, family. How could he pass this up?

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Sam asked Jules quietly as he met her eyes.

"Yes." Jules answered simply.

"Well then Sir." Sam turned to Holleran. "I humbly accept your offer and look forward to working with Team One upon my return to the SRU." Sam stated formally.

"Team Two will miss you Sam, but we won't be far. You've been a great teammate and friend. You're our brother and _nothing_ can change that." Rollie stated simply as he squeezed Sam's shoulder with a smile. "Team One is lucky to have you!"

"Samo, Samo, Samo...welcome back to the best Team in the whole of the SRU!" Ed grinned from ear to ear as he reached out and clasped Sam's hand. "Know that we are anxious to have you back, but are willing to wait until you're fully ready to return." Ed leaned in and loudly whispered to Sam with a huge smirk on his face. "Now, just fair warning, Spike will probably consider you the rookie of the Team again since you've been gone from Team One so long. Be prepared to be pranked, mercilessly. And no, he doesn't know about the change up."

"I can't wait to come back guys!" Sam couldn't help the smile that was plastered on his face. "You guys are my family! Thank you so much for caring for Jules and the kids while I was gone. I don't know what I would have done without you all!"

"That's what family is for Sam." Ed smiled. Things were finally almost back to where they should be!

* * *

**Office of the Commander of the Canadian Special Operations Forces, Toronto**

"Sir."

"Yes?" Commander Baxter looked up from the files he was sorting through containing the current list of charges that would be brought against Generals Braddock and Baird. The investigation was exhausting and no where near finished yet.

"I have some bad news for you. We just received word from Afghanistan. It appears that Generals Braddock and Baird were on a helo transport between bases in order to catch their flight out when they were attacked by ground forces. A Unit was dispatched to the crash site and only found the helo wreckage and the pilots. The men didn't survive the crash."

"Was there any sign of the passengers?" Baxter asked as he leaned forward.

"No sir. No sign of them whatsoever. Just a some blood in the back of the helo where they would have been sitting. They currently have Units scouring the area but it's unknown whether the men were taken captive or escaped."

"Thank you for the information. Keep me updated." Baxter then dismissed the man. Once the door to his office was closed he lowered he head to his hands and closed his eyes. He knew that he wouldn't have to worry about informing wives of the missing men, it would be their CO's job, and there were enough officers between the Generals and himself that he wouldn't have to worry about it.

However, what he wasn't looking forward to was telling two sons, who were currently in Toronto recovering from time as a POW, that their abusive fathers were missing. He knew that despite the relationship between the fathers and sons both men would take the news hard. Not knowing if a fellow soldier was a POW or not was hard enough. It made it worse if you actually knew the man, no matter how despicable they were. He sighed. He was _not_ looking forward to this conversation.


	36. One Last Mission

**Braddock Home, Toronto - Day of Discharge**

Jules had not been able to stop smiling since they walked in the door four hours ago. Having her family whole again was better than anything in the world. Even better then out shooting Sam with a Remi, which didn't happen often by the way. Seeing him interacting with their children was priceless. She was so happy that he was home.

Sam tickled the bundle of energy that was Sadie again and his smile grew as she squealed in laughter for the hundredth time. This, _this_ is what he fought so hard to come home to! He looked up to where Jules was in the kitchen preparing dinner for the Unit guys. She had invited them over for a home cooked meal before they left for the base again. She knew Sam would want a chance to thank them for everything they had done for him and wish them good luck for the future. Their eyes met and both sighed in relief. They were finally together again, home. He handed Sadie off to Jules when she came over to him and he went to pick up Matt and cuddle his little boy. He kissed the top of Jules head and pulled her into his side. He loved having his whole family in his arms again.

Williams took in a deep steadying breath as he pulled up to the Braddock residence. He had spoken with Major Copeland and Commander Baxter just before the Unit had left to come here. The other two men would meet them here in about an hour. He was worried, yet curious, as to how the Unit was going to take the news. He had a feeling that he knew what was going to be decided. He just hoped that it worked out best for everyone.

"Welcome to my home." Sam grinned from ear to ear when he opened the door to find his now former Army Unit standing on his doorstep.

"It's good to see you up and about Braddock! And in good spirits too." Baird smiled as he took in the sight of their sniper holding an adorable Matt Braddock in his arms. He was beyond thankful that they had gotten Braddock home to see his family, to meet his son.

"Well don't just stand there, come on in. Dinner is almost ready." Jules called from a few steps behind Sam, Sadie on her hip.

The Unit filed into the Braddock home and gathered around the island in the kitchen. They spent several minutes chatting before Jules announced that it was time to eat. Everyone gathered around the table and enjoyed a wonderful home cooked meal of lasagna, garlic bread, and salad. As Williams noticed that they were reaching the time that his commanding officers would show he cleared his throat. Time to break the news to the men.

"Well Jules, dinner was absolutely delicious." Williams smiled as he looked to Braddock's wife. "Thank you so much for your hospitality! This is the best food I've had in a _long_ time."

"You're welcome. It's the least I could do in thanks for you bringing my husband home in one piece." Jules smiled as she squeezed Sam's hand. Their eyes met and a smile was shared.

"As much as I hate to do this I need to let you all know that Commander Baxter and Major Copeland are on their way here. They need to discuss something with us all." Williams looked to Jules and Braddock. "I'm sorry I didn't mention it sooner but I didn't want to color dinner with that news."

"Not a problem." Jules was slightly worried, no small thanks to her training as a negotiator and the tone of the Captain's voice.

"Why are they coming here?" Sam asked curiously, not missing the fact that Jules tensed a bit.

"It was the best place to meet. And It's secure." Williams answered.

Before anyone had a chance to respond the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Sam stood and squeezed Jules shoulder. Whatever the officers were here to tell them they would get through it together.

"Can I help you clean up from dinner ma'am." Jackson offered when Braddock went to answer the door.

"Thank you Jackson." Jules smiled as she started to pick up plates. All the Unit guys then pitched in to help and the task of cleaning up from dinner was finished in just a few short minutes.

Sam was thankful that the guys offered to help Jules with the dinner clean up. He normally would do it himself but he had other guests to welcome into his home.

"Commander, Major, welcome to my home." Sam greeted as he gestured for the men to enter his house. He could tell from the look on the Commander's face that he had bad news to share.

"Braddock, I'm sorry to interrupt your evening at home." Commander Baxter commented as he walked in. "I would have waited until tomorrow but this is time sensitive."

"Is everything all right Sir?" Sam asked as he showed the men to the living room where the Unit was just now gathering.

"Sam, I'm going to take the kids to the play room. Do you want me to come back?" Jules asked quietly.

Sam looked to Commander Baxter before answering. Silently questioning whether or not his wife would be allowed to hear the news.

"Mrs. Braddock we would welcome your company if you choose to join us." Baxter answered for them. He knew that the news he had to share would not be easy for the guys to hear and thought that having his wife nearby might make it easier for Braddock.

Sam met Jules eyes and unspoken words were shared. She offered a small smile and nodded before turning to take the kids to the play room and set up the baby monitor so she could listen for trouble. She would be there for Sam because whatever brought these two high ranking military officers to her home was not good.

"She'll be back in just a minute. Can I offer you gentlemen a drink?" Sam offered once Jules had walked away with the kids.

"No, thank you Braddock." Williams answered as he looked around. "You have a beautiful home here."

"Thank you sir. This house belonged to Jules before we got married. We did all the renovations ourselves. Well, Jules did most of it, I just came in when she started working on the drywall and painting." Sam smiled to himself as he remembered the day he went to work with blue paint on his ear. He had really enjoyed helping with the renovations.

Jules walked into the room a moment later and came to stand next to Sam.

"Gentlemen, please, have a seat." Jules offered gesturing to the seats in the living room. The Unit men sat but herself, Sam, Commander Baxter, and Major Copeland all remained standing.

"I am sorry to have to barge in to your evening, but I need to share some news with you all." Commander Baxter started to explain. "Once I saw you in the hospital, Braddock, I called General's Braddock and Baird and ordered them back to Toronto to be court marshaled on a long list of charges." He paused, noticing the looks that crossed both Braddock's and Baird's faces. "They were given forty eight hours to report to my office or I would have men drag them in. I got a call yesterday from Afghanistan. While the Generals were in transit their helo was shot down."

"Are they all right?" Cole asked worriedly as he watched the Commander.

"We don't know." Baxter answered. "We dispatched a Unit to the crash site and found the two pilots. They did not survive the crash. There was no sign of either of the Generals."

Sam stared at Baxter. He couldn't believe it. The General was being brought up on charges but had been shot down on his way to transportation back to Toronto. He was currently missing in action. He had hated the General for a very long time, however, as a soldier he was worried for the men.

"Have they been taken?" Sam asked simply. Baird's head shot up and their eyes met.

"Yes." Baxter answered simply.

The room descended into absolute silence. Baird stood and walked towards the kitchen, placing his hands on the edge of the island and leaning over as he tried to contain his emotions. His grip was so tight that his knuckles turned white. Jackson leaned over and put his head between his knees and laced his hands behind his head. Sam let his hand slip from where it had been resting around Jules' waist and turned away from the group. He moved to stand in front of the glass door to the back patio and pushed his hands deep into his pockets. Williams, Cole, and Adams watched the reactions of the three men. They were worried about what this news was doing to their friends.

Finally, after a long minute, Jackson stood and went to Baird. He carefully placed a hand on his friend's back and spoke softly to him. Jules moved to Sam and simply wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her head in the middle of his back.

"Sam?" Jules asked softly after several moments.

"I hate that man _so_ much." Sam knew that Jules would hear the emotion in his voice. He hadn't even tried to hide it. The General had made his life a living hell from the time his little sister had died. He had no reason to care for the man.

"But?" Jules knew that there was a 'but' at the end of that statement. She knew Sam too well, knew he wouldn't leave it at that.

"But no soldier deserves to be in enemy hands." Sam turned slightly and Jules came around to stand in front of him.

"Do we know who took them?" Williams finally asked.

"The followers of Abdul Akbar are claiming responsibility. They say that Akbar's oldest son is taking care of the prisoners." Copeland admitted. He knew that news would not be taken well, he just hoped the men would be able to hold it together. There were little children in the other room after all. The last thing needed was an explosive reaction.

Sam, Jackson, and Baird all turned to look at the Major at the same time.

"What?" Sam asked simply.

"Apparently he never showed in Toronto. We have been looking for him ever since and have had no luck...until now." Commander Baxter explained.

"What are we going to do about it? If he's Akbar's son then we need to get them out of there and fast!" Jackson stated as he took a few steps towards the officers. "If he learned his trade from Akbar then he is going to be brutal and no man, no matter what kind of man he is, deserves to spend time with him."

"We are working to find a Unit that can handle the mission." Copeland stated simply. "It's going to be a very difficult so we can't send in just anybody."

"Do we have any news on their location?" Williams finally asked after clearing his throat.

"We have intel on a possible location, but it's unverified." Copeland answered. He wished he had better news for this group but sadly he did not.

"Where?" Baird asked, his voice void of all emotion.

"The same compound where you were held." Commander Baxter answered. He saw the flash of emotion cross the young soldier's face and almost cringed. He hated bringing it up.

"Who are you sending in?" Cole questioned.

"I have my men looking into our options. I don't have a Unit close enough that is prepared for this mission." Copeland answered.

"Send us." Baird stated simply.

"Your Unit isn't ready to return to the field. Besides, you're down a man. We don't have time to find a replacement sniper." Copeland argued. He didn't like where this discussion was going.

"What if that wasn't an issue?" Sam asked quietly. Jules looked to him and their eyes met for a moment. Jules simply closed her eyes and nodded once before letting go of him.

"It doesn't matter. It is." Copeland answered.

"But what if it wasn't. What if Williams' Unit was complete with a sniper that was not only capable of handling the mission but knew the location intimately?" Sam asked as he stepped towards the rest of the group. The Unit was now all standing together.

"If, and I mean _if_ Williams had a complete Unit then this Unit would be the one I send. They know the location, the way this group works, and is the best of the best." Copeland answered as he looked Sam in the eye. He had a feeling he knew where this was going and he hated that it had come down to this.

Sam met the eyes of each of the men in the room. He could see concern, disbelief, anger, and other emotions mirrored in their eyes. They each knew why he was asking and no one wanted to ask him to give up his new found freedom to find a man that had made his life miserable for so many years.

"When do we leave?" Williams asked after a moment. He had seen the determination in Braddock's eyes. He knew that no matter who the man was they didn't deserve to be in the hands of anyone as sinister as a man raised by Akbar. Braddock knew that. The man also knew that they were the best chance the Generals had of getting out of there.

"Are you absolutely sure Braddock?" Commander Baxter asked. "I need to know that you are doing this voluntarily. That you know the risks. No one is asking you to go."

"I'm sure Sir. Those men don't deserve to go through what we did. No one does. It's time we get them out." Sam stated.

"Very well then. Braddock you are authorized to accompany this Unit on one last mission." Baxter stated.

"One last mission." Sam repeated.

The words were echoed by ever member of Williams' Unit. Determined to finish this one last mission and bring Braddock home where he belongs, for good.

* * *

**Akbar Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan**

General Braddock leaned his head against the cold stone wall and looked to his right. Baird was lying down and cradling his right wrist. The man's wrist had been sprained, if not broken. He took a deep breath. He never would have imagined that he would be here, in the hands of the enemy. He was never out in the field anymore. He didn't deserve to be here either. If Commander Baxter hadn't ordered him and Baird back to Toronto then they wouldn't have been on the helo, wouldn't have been shot down, and wouldn't be here being tortured for information. As he took another deep breath he felt the ache in his chest. He had a feeling he had some cracked ribs already, and he'd only been through two rounds of torture with Akbar's oldest son.

Braddock had been surprised when he learned who had taken them. He had thought that Samuel's Unit had taken out the whole family. Apparently that mission in Rogue Park hadn't gone as good as he was told, Samuel let one get away. His son always had been a disappointment to him. Now he was even more so. He couldn't even take out all of the targets on a mission.

"Braddock." Baird said softly from where he lay shackled to the right of Braddock. "Are they coming for us?"

"Of course they're coming for us!" Braddock insisted as he looked around the cell that they were being held in. There was a third shackle to his left and he wondered just how many men had been held here in the past. He knew for a fact that _someone_ had been held in this cell. The concrete below him was stained with their blood after all.

"When?" Baird asked, almost in a whine.

"It had better be soon or heads are going to roll." Braddock declared. They were Generals. They should be on the top of the priority list!

"How are you holding up? It looked like he was hitting you pretty hard with that pipe." Baird commented.

"Ribs are at least cracked. Makes breathing difficult but I don't think they broke anything." Braddock answered as he adjusted his position to try and find a more comfortable way to sit. "How about you?"

"I've never been shocked with electricity before." Baird answered softly. "The pain stays for a long time. It felt like lava was coursing through my veins."

"I'm just glad you didn't give up any intel." Braddock stated.

"Yeah, well I almost did. They almost broke me."

"You're stronger than that! No matter what they do to us we _will not break!_ Do you understand me?" Braddock practically bellowed.

"Yeah, I hear ya." Baird closed his eyes and tried to focus on something other than the pain radiating through his body.

Not five minutes later the door to the large room that held their cell opened and Akbar Jr, as Braddock had resorted to calling him, walked in with a smirk on his face. His men came into the cell and drug Braddock out to the center of the room where they hung him from the roof with chains directly over the drain in the center of the floor. Hanging here put pressure on his already sore chest and he was about to say something to his tormentor when Akbar walked around him with a long, blood stained machete in his hands.

"My father gave me this machete before he left. He used it on his last prisoner. I wonder if you will be able to endure what that man did." Akbar sneered at the man. He knew exactly who hung before him and he relished in the fact that he was able to torture the father of the man that killed his own father. He was even using the same blade. Braddock was going to pay!

General Braddock screamed in pain as the blood stained blade of the machete slid at just the right angle between his ribs. This man knew what he was doing and Braddock knew that this was going to be long, drawn out, and extremely painful. As Akbar sliced into his chest and continued to stab him with the machete he asked questions on locations, number of soldiers, weapons, and many other things. Braddock did well, until Akbar slowly slid the blade into his side, stabbing him for the third time.

"Stop! Please stop." Braddock sobbed as his body was wracked with pain. He felt like he was going to vomit from the pain. "I'll tell you anything you want to know."


	37. Like Father, Like Son?

**Military Transport Jet - Undisclosed Airspace**

"You think they're still alive?"Baird asked as the transport jet rocketed towards their destination.

"Yes." Sam answered simply as he looked to where Baird sat with his head leaning against the side of the plane with his eyes closed. "They're Generals. They know too much to not be kept alive for information."

"Do you think we'll get to them in time?" Baird opened his eyes and turned to meet Sam's eyes.

"Yes!" Williams answered with conviction as he sat next to his men. He knew that Braddock and Baird were worried about their fathers, even if those men treated them badly. "We _will_ get there in time. I will _not_ allow you to think any other way."

"I'm sure the compound will be more heavily armed this time around." Cole commented as he joined the men.

"Yeah, there's no way they'll let us just walk in there like we did last time." Adams commented.

"Well, I mean, we _did_ have to use a _little_ bit of persuasion to get them to let us in." Cole chuckled. His version of a little persuasion was a few well placed shots from his weapon.

"Yeah, well, we had better come up with a plan of attack if we're going to get them out in one piece." Sam commented as he looked at the Unit, the family, that was gathered around them.

"So let's start with how we're getting there." Jackson suggested.

"We're going to do a HALO jump into a field about five clicks from the compound." Williams informed them. "We will then hike the remaining distance to our target. Once we get close Braddock will take up a sniper position and feed us intel while we move in. We'll try to get in undetected, however I don' t think it will be easy. Braddock, you're going to have to be quick and deadly on that trigger."

"Not a problem." Sam stated simply.

"He's not called Deadshot for nothing." Adams smirked.

"How long after wheels down do we leave?" Cole asked.

"We aren't landing. We're jumping from here. Our parachutes are in the back of the plane with all our other gear." Williams answered as he smiled at his men. "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. Means we can get them out of there sooner." Baird answered for all the men.

"Let's get our inventory done and our packs ready. Then I want you all to get some shut eye before we jump." Williams instructed.

The Unit set about getting their gear ready. Sam easily found his sniper equipment among the rest and started pulling everything out to see what he had, and repacking it according to his preferences. Once that was done he pulled his rifle out and disassembled it in order to give it a thorough clean. He was thankful Major Copeland had been able to send the rifle he had used in Afghanistan over the last year. He had this weapon memorized down to the last scratch so using it again would be a piece of cake. He had only used it a few days prior after all.

An hour later all the men except for Sam and Baird were sleeping.

"What's keeping you awake Baird?" Sam asked as he finished packing his rifle away.

"I can't help but wonder what that man is doing to them. We both know what Akbar was capable of. Do you think they're able to keep from spilling any valuable intel?" Baird asked as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"I don't know Baird, but I sure hope so." Sam sat and mirrored the younger man's position. "You and I both know that it's not easy, but, both General's know that thousands of lives rest on their shoulders. If they share intel then a lot of men's lives are in danger. Which is why we need to get them out of there as quickly as we can."

"I don't even know why I care. That man is such a bastard." Baird rubbed his hands over his head as he sighed.

"I know what you mean. Ever since I was nine the General blamed everything bad on me." Sam opened up and explained. "I'm sure you've figured out by now that he left some marks on me. Once my sister died I was the subject of his anger and when he was mad he got abusive. I shouldn't care for him, and I can't really say that I actually do. I more care about the fact that a fellow soldier is in the hands of a known terrorist, one that was taught the art of torture from one of the worst men I've ever come across. I can't help but want to rescue him from that, despite how horrible of a father he is."

Sam placed a hand on Baird's shoulder.

"Everything will work out. Have faith in the Unit. We'll get them out." Sam then rose and moved back to where his gear was stowed, checking one last time to make sure he had everything he need squared away before they jumped. Once that was accomplished he sat down with a picture of his family, all of them. He was almost home free, he just needed to complete this one last mission first.

* * *

**Military Transport Jet - Undisclosed Airspace**

"Two minutes to jump!" Williams called as he exited the cockpit. It had been a long flight but his men had gotten some rest and were now ready to go.

"You ready for this Braddock?" Cole asked as he checked Braddock's parachute.

"Let's do this." Sam answered as he tightened the straps on his pack, ensuring all his gear was strapped on good enough that it wouldn't jar loose in the jump.

Williams walked through and did one last check of his men, ensuring that all were good to go. This was an important mission, he couldn't afford any injuries due to carelessness on the jump.

"Sixty seconds to jump." One of the four crew members called.

Williams motioned for them all to put on their oxygen masks for the jump and line up. Moments later the cargo bay door started to open and they could see beautiful blue sky out the back of the plane. The lights on the side of the plane came on and switched from red to yellow. Sam took a deep breath and waited for the light to turn green and give the all clear to jump. He was ready to get this mission started.

"Go! Go! Go!"

The men all ran forward and jumped out the back of the plane. As they hurtled towards the ground Sam made minor course corrections to ensure he would end up in the right location. In the distance he could see the compound where they were headed, where the General's were being held, where he had been tortured for months. He blinked rapidly before looking to his altimeter that he wore like a watch. A few more seconds and he could pull his chute.

Minutes later all the men were on the ground and pulling in their parachutes in order to hide them before they continued on their mission. Once that was accomplished they all re positioned their packs for the hike to the compound.

"Alright men, gather round." Williams took a knee and spread a map out on the ground before him.

"What are we looking at Batman?" Sam asked as he knelt next to his commanding officer and friend.

"This is where we're at." Williams pointed to their position on the map. "And this is where we are headed. It's five klicks away."

Sam leaned in a bit closer to the map and looked and the terrain surrounding the compound.

"I'll take up position here." Sam pointed to a place on the map.

"Figured you'd pick there." Cole smirked as he looked at his friend.

Sam looked up and met Cole's eyes questioningly.

"That's where The Legend chose to make his perch." Williams answered with a glance between his men.

Sam smiled. He had been surprised when he found out that Chris Kyle, aka The Legend, had assisted with his rescue. He had always like that man. He would make sure he gave the man a real 'Thank You' when he got back home since he hadn't been able to the last time they spoke.

Williams picked up the map and returned it to his pocket before retrieving his weapon.

"Come on, let's move out." Williams instructed.

The Unit moved quickly and silently towards the compound. They made good time and pulled up twenty minutes later.

"Okay men, we have two Generals being held by the son of a known terrorist. He will be guarding our men well and expecting us to come for them. Keep your weapons ready, be swift but silent, and keep your head on a swivel." Williams addressed his men one last time before they moved in.

"I'll be in overwatch position." Sam stated after taking a quick sip of water from his canteen. "I've got your backs so don't worry. Just move fast and silent."

"We suspect they are holding the General's in the same location that they used last time. We'll check there first before clearing the rest of the compound." Williams explained. "Baird, they will probably need immediate medical attention. As soon as the packages are spotted you are to head directly to their location."

"Roger." Baird acknowledged the order before doing one last check of his medical supplies.

"Call signs only from here on out. Deadshot, go on to your perch. We'll move up to within sight of the compound and await your call." Batman instructed.

Sam simply nodded before turning and taking off at a jog in the direction of his perch. The rest of the Unit headed towards the perimeter of the compound where they would wait for Braddock to be in position before moving forward.

As Sam approached his sniper perch he realized just how good of a spot this was. He could clearly see the compound from here, but they wouldn't easily see him. He quickly set his gear down and put on his ghillie suit. Then he placed his rifle in position and arranged his extra ammo within easy reach. Once everything was in position he lay down behind his rifle and settled in. He took a deep breath as he put his eye to the scope and did a quick scan of the compound. It looked so much different from way up here.

"Deadshot in position." Sam called in as he scanned the buildings below, counting hostiles as he went. "I see at least thirty hostiles on the premises."

"Roger. Justice League in position. Awaiting all clear." Batman replied. They were watching the compound closely from their position as well, waiting for the perfect opportunity to go in.

"Two men passing your position in thirty seconds. Silent take down optimal." Sam reported. The two men he was watching would soon pass out of sight of the rest of the compound, and within easy striking distance of the Unit. They could easily take them out which would give them the access they need to move into the compound.

The next several minutes went much the same way. Sam would watch the hostiles, and his Unit, and instruct them when and where to strike or take cover. The Unit followed his instructions without hesitation or argument. They all knew that Braddock had the best line of sight and had their backs. They all trusted him with their lives, had so on many occasions.

As the Unit was holding, awaiting a clear path to the building they expected the Generals to be held in Sam took a moment to search the building through his scope. There was only one window that he could see through, and that window gave him a line of sight to only a door. He was about to move his scope away and back to the Unit when the door opened and he could see inside. He sucked in a deep breath when he saw inside the room.

"Batman, I have the packages in sight. Location confirmed...holding cell. Threat imminent. Hold position until cleared." Sam communicated to the Unit. He knew they would balk at being told to hold for now, but he had to take out a few targets first. He didn't have time to wait for the Unit to get to the holding cells.

"Roger." Williams replied. He knew his sniper saw something that they didn't and trusted Braddock to give them the all clear to move when it was time.

Sam drew in a slow breath as he sighted his target. He had hoped the Unit would have had time to get to Generals before he had to fire, however it didn't look like that was going to be the case. He watched through his scope. General Braddock was hanging from the familiar place in the center of the room, his back to the window. Sam could see General Baird in the holding cell just beyond, clearly cuffed to the floor just as he, Jackson, and Baird had been before. What had concerned him though was the whip that one of the terrorists was holding in his hand. He waited, patiently. His eye never left the scope as he watched the two terrorists in the room converse. He was going to make this shot count.

* * *

**Inside Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan**

General Braddock took a shaky breath. He had hoped that giving one good and one bad piece of intel would give him a reprieve from the pain, and it had, for a short time. However, only thirty minutes after he gave the info to the terrorists torturing him the man returned, strung him up in the center of the room again, and then sent for a colleague. The man had just returned, leaving the door to the cell open for anyone passing by to see him hanging there.

"We are looking to see if the information you have given us is correct. If it is not you will die slowly, and very painfully. But, until then, we are going to see if you can take the whip as well as your son." Akbar said with a wicked grin.

"My son?" Braddock asked, shocked, as he turned to look at the man who had been torturing him.

Akbar simply sneered at him before turning to the man that had just entered the room, speaking softly as the whip dangled from his hand. Braddock just watched them, reviewing everything that his captor had said and done the last several days. _Could this possibly be where Samuel was held captive? Did he actually endure the same grueling torture and pain?_ Braddock thought to himself.

He was quickly brought from his own thoughts as the sound of a bullet passing through glass reached his ears. He looked up, wide eyed, as the two men who had just been standing next to him crumpled to the ground. They had both been killed with a shot to the head, from a single bullet. Braddock looked up and met Baird's eyes.

"Is our way out finally here?" Baird asked as he pulled himself to a sitting position.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough." Braddock answered. He was still organizing his thoughts, coming to terms with the fact that this was where Samuel had been held and tortured for six months. From the sounds of it his son had withstood all manner of torture used on him. Maybe Samuel Braddock wasn't as much of a screw up as he thought.

* * *

**Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan**

Williams' and Cole's eyes met at the sound of the rifle fire. They knew Braddock wouldn't have fired unless there had been a reason. The Unit remained under cover as their sniper took out another handful of targets. All wanted to get out there and help, but they also knew that Braddock would tell them when to move. They waited, just not very patiently.

"Justice League, cleared to move. Be advised four targets one hundred yards to the west." Sam called out as he carefully scanned the compound.

Sam had been able to take out the two men in the holding cell room where the Generals were with one careful shot through the window in the hall. He had then had to eliminate six more targets that had appeared around the building. All were watching closely so there was no way the Unit would have been able to take them out without getting injured themselves. He knew that if he had to fire many more times someone would find his perch, but, it was a risk he was willing to take at this point if it meant everyone got out of there alive.

The Unit moved towards the building where the holding cell was, taking out targets as they went. They listened carefully to Braddock. They knew to trust him in everything when he was providing overwatch. Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Williams they entered the building and followed the now familiar hallway to where they knew the holding cells were.

Cole kept a close eye on Baird and Jackson. He wasn't sure what being back in this place would do to them after being held and tortured here for so long. He hoped that they had would be able to keep the memories at bay and focus on the mission. Thankfully it seemed like they were doing well so far. As they approached the shattered window across from the holding cell he took a deep breath. Now he just had to keep his own memories of finding his friends battered and bleeding at bay and rescue the Generals.

"Proceed with caution. Two hostiles have been eliminated but I can't see the whole room so I don't know if anyone else is in there. General Braddock is hanging from the center of the room and General Baird is in the cell." Sam reported as he continued to watch for hostiles entering the building.

"Copy. Moving in." Williams made sure to let Braddock know they were about to be in his line of sight. He knew Braddock was good, but he didn't want the sniper to react to the sight of someone in his scope and accidental fire.

Williams and Baird were the first two to enter the room. Cole followed directly behind while Jackson and Adams took up positions just outside the door to provide cover. As much as Sam wanted to keep an eye on what was going on in that room he had to keep his eyes on the rest of the compound and the slow trickle of men that were coming out of hiding. He picked off the ones that got too close to the building with the holding cell. He knew the Unit would need time to get the Generals ready to move.

General Braddock looked up when three men entered the room. He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the familiar face of Williams, call sign Batman.

"Batman, it's good to see you." Braddock said with all sincerity.

"We'll get you down in just a moment sir." Williams stated as he took quick inventory of the room and the men in it. "Atom, see to General Baird while Flash and I get General Braddock down."

"Roger." Baird immediately went through the door to the cell that had been left open and knelt down next to his father, pulling his med kit out while he did so. "Sir, can you tell me your injuries?"

"Batman, I need to ask you a question." Braddock watched the man as he and Adams set about finding the best way to get him down.

"Sir?" Williams glanced to Braddock as he grabbed the chain that would lower the man to the floor.

"Is this where Samuel was held captive? Tortured?" Braddock asked, the exhaustion and pain clearly evident in his voice.

"Sir, I'll answer any and all questions you have once I get you down." Williams said. He then started to slowly lower General Braddock to the ground as Adams took a hold of him and helped him lay on the floor.

"Atom?" Williams called to his medic once he had General Braddock down.

"Almost done here sir. Several bruised ribs, two broken. Multiple lacerations and bruises. He can walk out of here." Baird reported. He had completely ignored the glare that his father gave him at his words. He knew the man still hated him, he didn't care. He was here on a mission, the rest could be dealt with later.

"Roger." Williams knelt down on one knee next to General Braddock and began to assess his injuries. "Sorry about the delay sir. What questions did you have for me?"

"Is this where Samuel was held captive?" Braddock asked quietly.

"Yes. He, Atom, and Flash were held in the same cell you were." Williams answered honestly. He recognized a change in the General now as he talked about his son. Something had happened during his time here to change the General's opinion on the younger Braddock.

"He was...whipped? Stabbed?" Braddock had to know. The comments that Akbar had made about the mans blood that stained the blade he used flashed back in his mind and he winced at the memory of that blade slicing into him. He was so focused on his thoughts, on Williams' answers, that he didn't notice when the medic began tending to his current injuries.

"Yes. Your son's blood stains these walls, the floor just there." Williams pointed to the center of the holding cell not knowing that it was the same place the General had been during his time here.

General Braddock turned his gaze to where he been shackled in the cell. He only saw the dark stain of blood on the ground where he had lain. He remembered the white hot flash of pain as Akbar had inserted the same blade that had been used on Samuel into his chest, the feel of fire coursing through his veins as he had been shocked.

"General, I'm sorry to do this but I have to ask. Did they get any intel?" Williams asked. He had seen the faraway look in Braddock's eyes and wondered what was going through the man's head.

"Um...yes. Just two pieces of info. Was one true, one was not." Braddock answered. "You need to call Unit three and have them break camp, immediately."

Williams looked up and met Adam's eyes. The man immediately turned to the radio to make the necessary call. All the men were irate that the General had given away information. Even if it was about the one Unit that was the furthest from this compound, the one who was due to change camp soon anyway. The man should have known better than to compromise the Unit, any Unit.

"At least your son had the balls to keep his mouth shut." Williams said quietly to the General, earning him a look of surprise in return. "That's right. Even after being held for six months, being tortured daily, your son didn't say a word. He kept all the intel that he knew to himself knowing just how many lives would be in danger if he spoke."

After a moment of silence, lost in his own thoughts, Braddock heard the report of a sniper rifle.

"Roger Deadshot. We are moving out momentarily. We'll meet up at the rendezvous point."

Braddock heard Williams speaking into his radio and realized that Samuel was there, he recognized the call sign. Samuel was the sniper that had taken out two terrorist with one shot made through a glass window. The full scope of Samuel's abilities hit him full force.

Braddock swallowed hard. He hadn't known. He had never known just what kind of a man his son was, what kind of ability he had. But now he knew. Samuel was nothing like him. Samuel was a strong, dedicated, honest, hard working, intelligent, and _brave_ man. This was one time where the phrase 'Like Father, Like Son' did not apply.

Samuel was a much better man than he ever was.


	38. Samuel!

**Terrorist Compound - Afghanistan**

Sam saw the large number of terrorist reinforcements coming in from the west and knew his Unit _had_ to get out of there, and fast. He radioed down to Williams as he continued to take out targets and let them know that they had to get moving. He hoped they would be able to get out of there before the reinforcements actually made it to the compound.

"Moving out." Williams called through the comms, letting their sniper know that they were finally mobile.

Upon request from General Braddock Cole provided both Generals with a comms unit so that they would be in touch with everyone as well. Then Williams and Adams assisted General Braddock up and out and were closely followed by General Baird. Cole took the lead and Jackson and Baird brought up the rear. As they came to the door of the building, their way out, they paused.

"Deadshot?" Cole called, looking for an all clear.

"Hold." Sam could see three men coming closer, trying to get to where his Unit was trying to escape. He took a slow, steady breath and in the space between three heartbeats he let off three shots in quick succession. All three men fell to the ground, a bullet lodged perfectly between the eyes. "Clear."

Cole took the lead out of the building and for the first time the Unit could see what their sniper had been busy doing while they were inside. General Braddock looked around as Williams and Adams assisted him from the building and he saw several dead terrorist, all with perfect head shots. As they moved General Braddock felt something strange welling up within him. It wasn't until they reached the perimeter fence that he realized what it was. It was pride in his son!

"They're gaining on you." Sam told his Unit as he covered their escape. If he didn't do something drastic, and fast, the terrorists would catch up with the Unit. "I'm going to draw their fire to give you a clear line of escape."

"No!" General Braddock called, using his comms unit for the first time. "You will not, Deadshot! Do you understand me?"

"No offence, Sir, but there is no other option. I will rendezvous with the Unit once the coast is clear." Sam responded. He knew Williams wouldn't argue. His CO would know that he would only draw fire if it was the only option.

"Go careful Deadshot. I promised your wife you would come home in one piece!" Williams ordered as the Unit moved as quickly as possible.

"Roger."

Williams glanced to where Braddock had made his perch just in time to see the man stand and shed his ghillie suit. Braddock then returned to one knee and started rapid fire into the enemy soldiers that were in pursuit of them. It didn't take long for them to hear the return fire and knew that it would be a miracle if Braddock made it out without being hit.

General Braddock would only admit it to himself, but he was scared. Scared that for the first time he finally knew what kind of man his son was, scared that something would happen to keep him from telling Samuel how proud he was of who he had become. As the Unit quickly made it's escape he couldn't help but look over his shoulder one last time to where Samuel's sniper perch was. Just before turning out of sight he saw his son, on one knee with his weapon resting on a boulder in front of him, drawing the fire of the enemy in order to cover their escape. As the sun set behind him, silhouetting Samuel's form, General Braddock fervently hoped that this would not be the last time he saw his one and only son.

* * *

Sam had moved his rifle to rest on the top of a boulder that he had been using for cover. It still provided him enough cover from the bullets flying in his direction, but also allowed the enemy to be able to locate his position, to draw their fire. There had already been several times when bullets had come very close to hitting him. He was just thankful that the terrorist's aim wasn't nearly as good as his. As they wildly fired in his direction he took the extra two seconds to line up a perfect shot. They were dropping like flies. In fact, after a few minutes of rapid fire from his rifle he only had two targets left to take out.

He took a moment to take a deep breath as he scanned the terrain below him. He knew the two men were getting closer to his location and he had to find them quickly. Thankfully at that time one of the men made a break for closer cover to him when Sam spotted him. He drew in a breath and fired. The man dropped like a rock.

Suddenly the rock in front of him was bombarded with bullets from the one remaining target. Sam ducked for cover as he reloaded his weapon. He took a deep breath. those shots were closer than any had been to date. He realized that the last target had to be extremely close to his position. He reached down and ensured his sidearm was handy in case he needed it.

As Sam slowly peeked around the rock he was using for cover he heard footsteps getting ever closer to him. His head swung to the left where the sound was coming from and at that moment the terrorist fired at him. He quickly rolled away from the man and landed in a crouched position, sidearm drawn and firing at the man. The terrorist didn't bother with bullets anymore as he lunged at Sam. Thankfully Sam was prepared as he saw what was coming, but the sudden movement meant that the shot he let off missed. Both men crashed to the ground and fists went flying.

Sam managed to roll them so he was now on top of the other man as they exchanged punches. However, the other man had skill and was able to push Sam off and away from him. Both men moved to their feet and circled one another. As Sam watched his enemy closely he found himself very thankful for the hours of hand to hand training with Wordy and Team One.

The terrorist lunged at Sam once again and after moments of fighting the man had managed to pull Sam's right arm behind his back. Before Sam could twist his way out of the hold the man pulled at his arm just right and Sam felt the shoulder pop out of place. He couldn't keep in the low groan that escaped. Dislocated shoulders hurt!

As Sam stumbled away from him the terrorist managed to find his weapon that had been lost in the fight. Sam found and picked up his side arm immediately after the terrorist had dislocated his shoulder. He turned and raised it at the other man at the same time the terrorist raised his weapon. Both men fired in the same instant and the terrorist fell to the ground at the same moment Sam felt white hot pain in his right side. Sam fell to one knee. His opponent had managed to hit him in the side. Between the bullet wound and his dislocated shoulder his right side flared in pain. However, he also noticed that his shot had hit it's target as well. The terrorist was now sporting a bullet wound between his eyes. Despite the injuries Sam had come out on top of this fight.

He lowered his head and took in as deep a breath as the bullet wound in his side would allow. Closing his eyes he focused solely on the picture of his family that he had brought with him. He had just come very close to not going home to them this time. He was extremely thankful that he had not just died.

"Deadshot, status!" Williams called once again. He had heard the fight over the comms, as had the rest of the Unit, and the sounds of pain that came from their sniper. They had waited, listened closely, needing to know if Braddock had survived. Williams had called several times for a status update but had heard nothing after the gunshot.

"All targets eliminated." Sam finally managed to respond. Apparently his CO had been calling for an update and he had only just heard the call. "Packing my gear and heading to you."

"Roger. Gave us quite a scare there Deadshot." Williams commented as he let out a breath ha hadn't realized he was holding.

"I just wanted to see how high I could send your blood pressure Batman." Sam teased as he slowly rose to gather his gear. This hike ahead of him was going to be painful but he didn't want Williams to know he was injured just yet. They had to stay with the General's for protection. He figured he had this, he had been injured in the field before after all.

Williams, Cole, Jackson, Adams, and Baird all shared a knowing look. Braddock was hiding something from them. They each thought that maybe he had been injured in some way during the fight. But, they also knew that their sniper wouldn't tell them unless it rendered him unable to hike to meet them. Baird determined to do a quick health status check as soon as Braddock reached them.

Several minutes later Sam leaned against a tree for a moment and pressed his hand into his side as a wave of pain coursed through him. Carrying his gear was putting quite a strain on his injuries, causing his pace to be slower than normal. He knew the Unit would start to worry about him soon, he should have been there already. Thankfully though he was only a short distance away. He should arrive at the rendezvous point within minutes.

Three minutes later Cole's head shot to the right at the sound of someone approaching. He hoped it was Braddock and not another terrorist hell bent on killing them all. He allowed a small smile cross his face as Braddock came into view. The smile quickly fell from his face though as he took in the condition of the sniper. Braddock was hurt.

"Atom." Cole called to the medic who was on the other side of the group. The Unit all looked his direction at the call and saw Braddock as he made their way to them. He was clearly injured.

"Deadshot, where are you hurt?" Baird asked as he and Jackson quickly went to their friend and eased the gear from his back.

"Right side." Was all Sam could muster in response. He had to clamp down to keep from crying out in pain as Jackson carefully removed his pack and rifle from his back.

"Firestorm, call in for evac." Williams instructed as he watched his men. He remained in his position, keeping watch for approaching hostiles.

"Roger." Cole quickly made the radio call while glancing back at Braddock, Baird, and Jackson.

Baird brought Braddock into the middle of the group and eased him down with his back against a tree. He could see the bullet wound in the man's side and it looked like his shoulder was dislocated as well. He started a thorough check. Jackson helped him remove Braddock's vest and open up his shirt so he could get a better view of the wounds. He quickly applied a pressure bandage to the bullet wound in Braddock's side and looked for an exit wound. Unfortunately there wasn't one. They would have to go in and get the bullet out. Baird simply prayed that it hadn't done any internal damage and that he could stop the bleeding. Once he had dressed the wound in Braddock's side he them shifted his attention to the man's right shoulder.

"Dislocated." Sam breathed as he leaned his head against the tree behind him.

"That's what I thought." Baird met Braddock's eyes. "I need to put it back into place."

"I can take it." Sam said simply.

Baird gave him a single nod. He knew this was going to hurt Braddock but he needed to get it back into place before it swelled too much.

Sam closed his eyes and tried to focus on Jules. He knew how much pain he was about to feel, he had had a dislocated shoulder before after all. But, he also knew that if he could focus on Jules then it would help.

Baird pulled Braddock's arm up close to his chest. He cast a quick glance at the man and noticed his eyes were closed so he placed one hand on Braddock's shoulder and gripped his arm with the other. He then quickly rotated Braddock's arm, forcing the joint back into it's socket.

Sam couldn't contain the groan of pain as Baird popped his joint back into it's socket. He knew he wouldn't be able to move that arm for a while now.

"I'm going to give you some pain meds now." Baird told Braddock as he searched through his kit, looking for the pain meds he had brought.

"No, I'm fine." Sam's eyes popped open and he looked to the medic. "Don't need them."

"Come on man, it'll take the edge off." Baird argued. He knew Braddock was in pain and wanted nothing more than to help ease it.

"I need to be able to walk out of here. Can't do that if you pump me full of pain meds." Sam argued.

"Deadshot..." Williams went to intervene. He agreed with Baird, the man needed something to help ease the pain.

"Sir, you and the rest of the Unit need to be able to assist these men to the evac point. You don't need to have to carry me out of here too." Sam pushed himself off the ground and stood as tall as he could. "I need to be able to walk out of here and be aware enough to help defend the Unit should we be found."

Williams met Braddock's eyes for a long minute before he came to a decision.

"Fine, but as soon as we are on our ride out of here I'm ordering you to allow Atom to dose you with anything he sees fit." Williams ordered.

"Roger." Sam answered simply. By time they got to the evacuation point and met up with the helo that would give them a ride out he figured he would welcome some pain meds.

"Williams, are you sure that's a good idea?" General Braddock asked. He could see the pain in Samuel's face.

"The more men we have able to help defend us on our exfil the better. There's still a good chance they're looking for us." Williams answered as he watched Baird and Jackson work to get Braddock's right arm into a makeshift sling and recheck the wound in his side.

General Braddock didn't like the idea of Samuel going without some relief, but he also saw the necessity for it. They needed as many men able to defend the Unit if they were approached by hostiles and two were having to help him move.

"Once Deadshot is good to go we move out." Williams instructed as he checked his weapons.

Baird quickly finished patching Braddock up while Jackson checked the man's weapons and ensured he had a full clip in his sidearm. Jackson and Baid then took Braddock's gear and added it to their own.

"You don't need to be carrying it with your injuries." Jackson stated at the questioning look from the sniper.

Sam simply nodded in thanks.

"General Baird, sir, we need to get moving." Williams stated as he knelt in front of where the General had fallen asleep against a tree. This man was really getting on his nerves. First he complained about having to hike out of the compound, and now he was sleeping in the field. Williams knew it wasn't from injuries, Baird had assured him that the man was able to move under his own power. It had to be just pure laziness. _How the hell did he get to be a General with an attitude like this?_ Williams thought as the man finally woke, grumbling the whole time.

"Let's move." Williams quickly ordered once General Baird was awake. He was done wasting the Unit's precious time. Besides, they needed to get some medical attention for Braddock. His sniper was losing a lot of blood.

Twenty minutes later the Unit pulled up at the exfil location. The helo was two minutes out. Thankfully they had not encountered any hostiles on the way here, however, there had been a few times where Jackson and Braddock thought they heard movement behind them. Each time they checked carefully and didn't see anyone but that didn't mean that they weren't being followed, despite how careful they were being.

"How long till the helo gets here?" General Baird asked, clearly irritated.

"Two minutes sir." Adams answered simply as he scanned the clearing before them.

"They should already be here. What took you so long to get to us anyway. You should have had us out of there days ago." General Baird continued to rant. "We are Generals. We should take higher priority than anything else in the Army!"

"Sir, please keep your voice down." Williams requested. He was afraid of who would find them if the man wouldn't shut up.

"I can talk as loud as I want. I own you Williams! I am a General and you're just a simply commander of a little Unit of misfits and screw ups. You're no better than a private."

"Baird! Shut up!" General Braddock said forcefully. He knew he had not always been the best example but these man had just risked their lives to save them from the terrorists. Their _sons_ had risked their lives, for them.

"I'll shut up when I want to!" General Baird argued.

Suddenly gunfire erupted not far from where the Unit was awaiting their ride out. Williams looked up to see Braddock, Baird, Jackson, and Cole facing the direction the shots had come from.

"We would greatly appreciate it if you would keep your big mouth shut instead of continuing to give away our location to the enemy." Williams growled.

As the Unit provided cover fire for the Unit the evac helo suddenly appeared and quickly set down. Adams and Williams assisted the Generals into the helo while the rest of the Unit provided cover fire for them. Sam was the last to board the helo and as he backed into it he let off several more shots, taking out three targets as he did so. Once he was on board the helo lifted off and quickly took them away from the danger on the ground.

It wasn't until the clearing was out of site that Williams turned to take stock of his men. As he did so he realized that not all his men had gotten away without injury. General Baird had been fatally wounded. The man was dead.

General Baird wasn't the only one wounded though.

General Braddock took inventory of the men in the helo. Sadly General Baird, his long time friend, had been caught in the crossfire and had been killed. He felt the loss of a friend, but that was out weighed by the sight before him. His son had been hit too!

The helo was filled with the anguished cry of a father as General Braddock cried out.

"Samuel!"


	39. Admittance

**Main JTF2 Base Medical**

General Braddock looked through the large window into Sam's room and sighed. He had been so scared! Yesterday he had been sure that he had forever lost the opportunity to seek forgiveness for all the wrongs of the past. His time as a POW, however short, had opened his eyes as to the man that Samuel really was. The realization of how wrong he had been had made him physically ill for several hours the evening before. He couldn't believe that he had so wrongly judged Samuel. He placed his hand on the window, wishing he could reach out to his son and comfort him at this time. Instead he was relegated to staying outside the room with a constant guard.

He leaned his head against the cool glass and closed his eyes. He had been awake for several hours last night, once Samuel had survived surgery, thinking about what he would say to his son when finally given the chance. General Braddock had come to realize that it didn't really matter what he said. He had been a horrible father and didn't deserve a second chance, not after what Samuel had gone through because of him. But, he had to try.

In the early hours of the day his mind replayed everything that his captor had told him about the last man that had been held and tortured where he had been. Braddock didn't know at the time that it was his very own son that had been the soldier. Samuel had survived being beaten, stabbed, cut, shocked, whipped, waterboarded, and many other things during his time with Akbar. In fact, the blood that stained the cell where he had been kept, the ground that had been just beneath him the entire time he had been held there, was that of his own son. As he had remembered the pain of the torture he still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that his son had not only survived six months of the torture, but had done so without giving up any intel.

Braddock looked up at the sound of footsteps in the hall and he couldn't help a small half smile. Captain Sanders was overseeing Samuel's treatment as well as his own and the General was eternally grateful. It seemed the Captain had been there for Samuel when he had been rescued from Akbar. Braddock owed Sanders for caring so well for his son, something he should have been doing all along.

"General Braddock, you should be in bed, sir." Captain Sanders addressed the man. He couldn't believe the man was up, again. The General really needed to be in bed, recovering. Not standing in the hallway of the hospital.

"I can't leave him." Braddock answered simply, returning his gaze back to his sleeping son.

"He's not going anywhere for a few days, sir." Sanders stated.

"I'm fully aware of that Captain. But he's my son. I can't leave him, not after finally realizing what kind if a man he is."

Sander's narrowed his eyes at the General. This was the man who, from everything he had heard, had made the life of his patient a living hell. The General had done everything in his power to get back at his son since the age of nine from what he was told. Why would the man suddenly start to care?

"I made a terrible mistake many years ago." General Braddock was saying quietly, his eyes never leaving Samuel's sleeping form. "When he was just a boy his sister was killed by a drunk driver right in front of him. Myself and my wife blamed him. He was there, he should have been protecting her. In our grief we made some very bad choices, blamed a nine year old boy of killing his sister when he was simply walking with her to the park. My wife couldn't even bare to look at him after the accident. It hurt too much. For several months after Samuel seemed to get into trouble constantly. What we didn't realize was that he was simply grieving for his sister. That he felt guilty for not protecting her."

Sanders stood and listened without saying a word. He knew that sometimes simply talking about something helped a person move on. He hoped that would be the case here today. It sounded like there was a lot of pain from the past. Both in the life of the General and his patient. He realized that he was very thankful for the younger Braddock. For the fact that if it weren't for Sam Braddock he and his son wouldn't have the relationship that they do today.

"One day Samuel's mother came to me and told me that the boy had to go. She couldn't stand him living under her roof when her baby girl was six feet under. That was the day that I decided to send him to Richmond's. The Academy had a stellar track record for helping wayward boys. I thought they could straighten him out all while preparing him for the life of a soldier." General Braddock took a deep breath and looked at the Captain. "I was so wrong. From the day my daughter died my wife and I blamed a young, innocent boy. When she was angry I would beat him, at her request I sent him off to military school, essentially shunned him from the family when all he needed was a hug and a shoulder to cry on. I'm his _father_ , I should have seen it! Have I forever lost my boy?"

Captain Sanders took a step closer to the General and noted the tears that were threatening to spill over.

"No." Sanders stated simply but with full conviction. "No sir, you haven't lost your son."

"How can you be so sure?" This time the General couldn't keep the tears at bay.

"I know because I've heard your son talk about you."

The General's gaze bore into that of the Captain, wondering how and when Samuel would have talked about him to this man. What his son would have said.

"Just before I left for my last deployment my son, Tyler, went through a rough patch. He didn't want me to go because he was afraid for my life. He thought I cared more about my career than I did about my family." Sanders took a deep breath as he explained, the pain of the day coming back to the forefront of his mind. "Tyler tried to keep me from going by threatening me at gunpoint. The SRU was called in and next thing I know this young police officer was standing there, connecting with my son. Telling Tyler that he's not alone. That officer's father was in the Army, gone a lot just like I am now. That young man got through to my son and kept him from doing something he would regret for the rest of his life. I could tell that the relationship between that man and his father was strained, but I could also hear the pride he had in his father. Whether they got along or not that officer knew that what his father did in the Army was important."

"Samuel." Braddock whispered as he looked back to his son.

"Yes. I know that you guys don't get along at all. But, there was a time when that young man in there looked up to you, thought you were a hero. Maybe you just need to remember who _that_ man was and go back to being him." Sanders placed a hand on the General's shoulder. "Your son is a very unique man General. I have full confidence that if given the chance you can move away from the past and into a relationship for the future." Sanders then turned to make his rounds. He knew that General Braddock had a lot to think about and he hoped the man came to the right decision.

The General turned his gaze back into the hospital room. Samuel lay with his side propped up by pillows to ease the strain on his right side. His son had not only received a dislocated shoulder, but a gunshot wound to his side, and a bullet in his arm during the extraction. He took as deep a breath as his injured ribs would allow before turning to return to his room. He had a phone call to make, if they would allow him.

Once back in his hospital room he asked to make the phone call and was given permission to do so. He then sat down in the chair in the room and faced out the window. This was going to be one of the hardest calls he had made yet. He picked up the phone and dialed his wife. As he waited for her to answer he placed an elbow on his knee and lowered his head into his hand. Finally she answered.

"Elanoir, I need to talk to you about something." Braddock stated, emotion uncharacteristically evident in his voice.

"What is it dear? Is everything alright?" Elanoir Braddock asked, worried at the sound of her husband's voice.

"No hone, it's not." The General took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "We've misjudged Samuel all along!"

* * *

**SRU Headquarters "The Barn" - Toronto**

Jules laughed as she watched Spike running around Winnie's desk screaming like a girl. Little Sadie was hot on his heels with a Nerf gun, and was extremely accurate with it too. Not that anyone could imagine why of course. Baby Matt giggled in her arms as well as he watched his big sissy chasing after crazy Uncle Spike and not far away stood the rest of the SRU officers that were currently in the building. It had been a slow day for the SRU which was why Jules had brought the kids by to see all their favorite Uncles.

Just as Spike careened around the corner again Jules noticed a man walking towards them and Jules recognized him as the Commander of Canadian Special Forces, Commander Baxter.

"Commander, what brings you to our humble Barn?" Ed asked as he too recognized the man.

Jules had a gut feeling, and it wasn't good. When she saw the look on Commander Baxter's face she knew that something had happened to Sam, again.

"Mrs Braddock, Jules, may I have a moment of your time please?" Baxter addressed the woman he came to see without any hesitation. He knew she needed to hear the news, as soon as possible.

"Hello Matthew Benjamin Braddock, come see Auntie Winnie." The dispatcher spoke to the little bundle of Braddock in Jules' arms. She hoped Jules would allow her to take the baby so that she could speak to the Commander. After all, he had to be here about Sam!

Jules passed Matt off to Winnie and walked towards the briefing room.

"Jules?" Ed asked. He wanted to know if she wanted someone to go in there with her.

"Please." Was all Jules could muster in response. Her gut was churning by now and she didn't think she could take bad news alone.

Once the trio were inside the briefing room Ed closed the door.

"Jules, might I suggest we sit?" Commander Baxter suggested.

"I don't think so. Just tell me what happened to Sam." Jules ordered.

Commander Baxter eyes Jules closely before deciding whether or not to go ahead and give her the news. Due to the death stare he was getting he decided that it was better to do so now rather than later.

"I just received word that your husbands Unit did indeed find the Generals. However, General Baird was killed during extraction." Baxter started with the lesser of the two bits of bad news.

"So, what happened to Sam?" Jules asked. She could care less about General Stupid right now. She needed to know about her husband.

"He was injured during the mission." Commander Baxter stated, realizing he couldn't dance around the news any longer.

"How bad?" Ed asked after a moment of silence. He moved to stand right next to Jules to support her should the need arise.

"He suffered from a dislocated shoulder, a GSW's to his side and upper arm."

"Which side?" Jules asked.

"All to his right side." Baxter answered.

Jules sank to the chair closest to her. Sam was alive, he would be okay. He just got shot which was nothing unusual for him. It was all to his right side so it missed vital organs and wouldn't affect his shooting arm since he was left handed. They could pull through this just like they could everything else that they had endured so far.

"When will you be bringing him home?" Ed asked as he placed a hand on Jules' shoulder in silent support.

"He is currently at Ramstein getting medical attention. They will probably keep him there for a few days before sending him home." Commander Baxter explained. "I will let you know as soon as travel arrangements have been made."

"Thank you Commander." Jules stated with full sincerity. "I know it can't be easy for you to be the bearer of bad news but it means a lot that you, of all people, would take the time to come down here and tell me."

"It is my pleasure. Sam Braddock is one hell of a soldier. He deserves the best this country can do for him." Baxter stated as he moved towards the door.

"Commander?" Jules stood and faced the man.

"Yes?"

"Were there any other injuries? To his Unit?" Jules asked cautiously. She was worried that more men had gotten injured as well.

"No. Thanks to the quick thinking and bravery of your husband no one else received injures except for General Baird who was killed." Baxter answered. "There was nothing that they could have done in that instance. Sam's Unit is safe because of Sam."

"Thank you." Jules offered a very small smile.

"Of course. Please, call me if you need anything, anything at all!" Baxter pleaded. He wanted to do right by this family, especially after the wrongful recall of one Samuel Braddock.

Once the Commander left Ed filled in all the friends and SRU family gathered on Sam's condition. They all vowed that they would help Sam with his physical therapy when he returned and get him back to the Team as quickly as possible.

As Jules snuggled little Matt closer to her and watched Sadie chase Uncle Ed with the Nerf gun this time she knew that they would make it through this, and come out the other side stronger than before.

Jules couldn't wait to welcome he soldier home!


	40. A Hero's Welcome

**CFB Borden - 3 Weeks Later**

Jules looked nervously out the window as Ed pulled into the parking spot. Today was finally the day. The day that her husband, friend, confidant, lover, and father of her children was coming home for good! She could't wait to see him, hold him, and tell him how much she loved him. As the SUV came to a stop Jules closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and smiled. Moments later Spike opened the door for her and offered her a hand out. She graciously took it and exited the SUV. When she turned she saw Uncle Ed helping an excited Sadie out of the back seat and Winnie pulling Matt out of his car seat before gently placing him in the stroller. Wordy was just joining them with the sign that they had made for Sadie to hold to welcome her daddy home.

Today was a beautiful day and for Jules nothing could change that. She was thankful that her SRU family had come to help welcome Sam home. Ed, Spike, Wordy, Leah, and Greg were all here with her. What she wasn't aware of was that there were more SRU SUV's just outside the base gate waiting to escort Sam home. A true hero's welcome.

Jules looked at the instructions she had been sent one last time. She wanted to make sure she was in the right place when Sam's plane landed. Once she was sure she had the right building the group made their way inside. Sadie quickly took off to play with some of the other kids gathered and Spike went to supervise.

"There's a lot of people here." Greg observed as he found a place to sit.

"It's going to be a full jet." Jules commented as she started to pace five steps back and forth. Her nerves were going to get the best of her if she wasn't careful.

"A lot of good men and women are finally coming home." Leah stated with a smile. She was so excited that she was going to be able to be a part of this experience.

"Jules, pacing isn't going to make the plane land any quicker." Wordy observed with a bit of a laugh.

"I know. I just can't sit still. He's _so close_!" Jules stated as she turned to Wordy.

"You should have seen her in the SUV during the two hour drive." Ed chuckled.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please!" A Captain called from the front of the room.

Suddenly a hush fell over the room and even the children stood quietly to listen.

"We've just received word that the jet is on it's final approach. They should be on the ground in just a few short minutes. So, if you all don't mind following me I'll take you to the meeting point." The Captain smiled at the excitement in the room.

Jules looked around to see if she could find Spike and Sadie. They needed to get going. She almost laughed when she found them. Sadie was on Spike's shoulders and it looked like she was using his head as a drum. She figured if he needed rescuing then he could ask.

The entire group moved out of the building and across the street. They were brought to a chain link fence just off the flight line. They couldn't see the runway very clearly, but, they were told that they _would_ be able to see the jet without a problem once it pulled into it's parking spot.

The next several minutes seemed to drag by. Jules thought that if the plane was on final approach then surely they would have landed by now. Her question was soon answered as the Captain spoke up once again.

"I apologize everyone. It seems I was misinformed. The jet is actually about fifteen minutes out. You are welcome to wait here, or return to the auditorium."

"I'm not moving!" Jules stated as she turned back to her gathered friends. "I am _not_ going to miss seeing him get off that plane."

"We didn't think you would. Don't worry, Wordy and Spike have the kids well entertained." Ed smiled as he placed a gentle hand on Jules' shoulder.

Jules turned back to the tarmac and watched as a large jet did a touch and go. The wheels didn't even touch the runway. As she stood there and watched she could feel the butterflies in her stomach making themselves well know. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous, why she had spent three hours the night before picking out the perfect outfit, why she had changed her mind on the kids clothes probably a hundred times. It was just Sam after all. But, that was also the reason. It was Sam. She wanted everything to be perfect for his homecoming this time. Especially since he didn't get much of a welcome the last time he returned to Canada. He deserved a hero's welcome, and that's what he was going to get.

"You look perfect Jules." Greg said quietly from his place next to her. He could tell she was nervous and he didn't blame her.

"Thanks Boss." Jules glanced at him and offered him a small smile.

"You know. It's perfectly normal to feel nervous." Greg gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry. He's going to think you look beautiful."

"He always thinks I look beautiful. Although I'll never understand _why_ he thinks that when I'm covered in baby vomit." Jules chuckled.

"He's in love with you Jules. Nothing will ever change that." Ed offered. He thought the same thing about Sophie. It didn't matter what she looked like, she was always beautiful to him. He would never understand why she didn't believe him.

Ten minutes later Jules had had just about enough of these jets doing touch and go's. Each time she thought Sam's jet was landing the aircraft would fly back into the air and away from the waiting families on the ground. She was just about to turn to Ed and complain, again, when the sound of the last jet changed. It hadn't taken off again, it was on the taxiway headed towards them. Suddenly Sadie came running up to her.

"Is Daddy home Mommy?" Sadie asked as Jules reached down and lifted her into her arms.

"I don't know baby. We have to just wait and see." Jules answered as she knelt down and put an arm around her daughter.

" _I_ think it _is_!" Sadie declared. Clearly sure she was right.

"And what makes you so sure baby girl?" Jules asked.

"Cause Mommy! That airplane looks just like the one Daddy got on when he left!" Sadie answered as she focused all her attention to the aircraft taxiing into view.

Jules looked up and realized that her daughter was right. It _was_ the same kind of plane Sam left on when he was first recalled. Moments later Sadie was proven right as the crowd around them increased and the Captain stood in front of a gate in the fence.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. In case you haven't noticed they have just landed and the plane is parking. They will need a few minutes to power down but then your loved ones will deplane and come through this gate. Please, make sure you stay behind this fence for your safety! Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of our men and women in uniform during their deployments!" The Captain smiled as he turned to the now parked aircraft and instructed the guards to open the gate.

Jules took a few steps forward, eager to see Sam as he stepped off the jet. She wondered if he would be the first down the steps of the plane. Sadie bounced excitedly next to her with her sign. She was clearly ready to see her Daddy. Spike passed Matt to Jules. He knew that if she was holding the baby it would help to ease her nerves, even if just a bit.

The crowd cheered excitedly as the door to the jet opened, the stairs rolled up, and men and women in uniform began to disembark the plane. As the servicemen and women approached the gate loved ones moved forward excitedly to greet them.

Jules watched impatiently for her husband to step off the plane. She couldn't help but be disappointed when he wasn't one of the first people off the plane. Jules kept her eyes focused on the door to the jet as one after another the occupants stepped down from the jet. After several minutes she still hadn't seen Sam and she was starting to worry. Families all around here were greeting their loved ones and she was still waiting.

"Is he really on that plane?" Jules asked under her breath as she cuddled Matt closer to her.

"Yes Jules. Just have patience." Greg reassured her with a slight squeeze to her shoulder. He knew she was anxious, and if he knew Sam he was too.

Jules watched for another three minutes before her breath caught in her throat, her heart skipped a beat, and the biggest smile crossed her face. There was Sam, standing in the door of the jet. He was wearing a tight fitting black t-shirt and jeans. His right arm was in a sling, and he looked tired, but he was here. He was home! She took three steps forward with Matt in her arms and Sadie by her side.

"Sam." Jules whispered as she watched her husband closely. Right at that moment he looked right at her and their eyes met.

* * *

Sam was beyond exhausted. He had just spent more time in a hospital due to injuries sustained rescuing the General for the hands of terrorists. Then a long flight back home with the General not far away from him. Despite the fact that the man was closely guarded by MP's Sam felt that they were too close. He had traveled home with everyone in his unit except for Baird. That man was doing the honorable thing and escorting General Baird home for burial.

Once the plane finally landed Sam couldn't wait to get off. The only problem was he was in the back section of the plane so he had to wait for most of the others to disembark before he could even think about it. He knew that his family would be waiting for him which only proved to make him more anxious to get off the jet.

Finally his turn came and he carefully stood. He was still sore from his injuries and being cooped up on the cramped plane for hours hadn't helped that. As soon as he got to the door in the jet he paused for a moment to allow his eyes to adjust to the sunlight. He shifted his right arm slightly where it lay in the sling, and then let his gaze travel along the chain link fence for just a moment.

That is when his eyes met Jules'. She was standing a few steps in front of their SRU family with a baby Matt in her arms. Sadie stood at her side with a sign that said "My Daddy is my Hero. Welcome Home Daddy!". His family had never looked more perfect than right this moment. At the slight nudge from Cole he was brought out of his daze and quickly moved down the stairs. He couldn't wait to hold his family in his arms!

Sam walked as quickly as possible across the tarmac. As soon as he reached the gap in the fence Jules all but ran to him. He wrapped his good arm around her and Matt and pulled her close, burying his nose in her hair as he held her for a long minute. It was only the tugging at his pants from dear little Sadie that pulled them apart.

"Sadie, my sweet little princess. Daddy missed you!" Sam smiled at his daughter as he bent down and pulled her into a tight hug. He carefully picked her up and stood, snuggling her close to his side. _This_ was where he belonged. With his wife by his side and his children in his arms!

Jules couldn't have wiped the smile off her face if her life had depended on it. Her husband was finally home and home he would stay. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, memorized the feeling of his muscled body under her touch, relished the feeling of his arms wrapped around her. Jules had missed Sam fiercely the entire time he was gone. He hadn't even been able to spend more than one night at home in over a year and she was desperately needing his touch. To be reminded constantly that he was here, alive, breathing, in her life once again. The last year had been the hardest thing she had ever had to go through and as Sam picked up Sadie she wondered how the families around her did it on a regular basis. Jules suddenly found that she had a new found respect for the men and women of the military, and their spouses and families as well.

"I love you Jules. So very much!" Sam whispered as he leaned into her embrace once again.

"I love you too Samuel Braddock. I'm so glad you're home!" Jules responded just as quietly as she smiled at her husband and daughter.

Spike gave the family a minute before stepping up and offering to take Sadie from Sam. He knew it was probably a challenge holding the wiggling child with one arm, and that Sam would want to hold baby Matt as well.

"Let me take her for you so you can say hi to that son of yours." Spike offered.

"Thanks Spike." Sam smiled as he passed Sadie to Uncle Spike.

"Welcome home Sam. It's good to have you back brother." Spike squeezed Sam's shoulder before backing away to give the man time with his son.

"Hey Matt, why don't you go see Daddy." Jules cooed as she carefully placed the baby in Sam's arms. She would never get over the sight of Sam with a baby in his arms.

"Hello there son. Daddy missed you and Sadie so much!" Sam gently placed a kiss on Matt's head before closing his eyes for a moment and relishing the feeling of his son in his arms.

"They've missed you too Sam." Jules said softly as she leaned her head against Sam's left arm. "We all did."

"Samo, it's good to have you home buddy." Ed said after a couple more minutes of watching the family together.

"Thanks Ed. It's good to be home."

"We can't wait for you to get back to Team One. After some well deserved time with your family of course." Leah smiled as she welcomed Sam home. It would be good getting to work with him again.

"Sam the man. Welcome home." Wordy greeted his former team mate and friend.

"Sam, we're really glad you're home." Greg smiled as he stepped forward.

"Thank you all for coming out here today. It really means a lot to me!" Sam chocked up as he meet the eyes of each of his family.

"No place we'd rather be Sam." Ed smiled in return.

The group stood and talked for several minutes as the luggage was loaded off the jet onto the bed of a truck and brought over to the waiting men and women. Sam passed Matt back to Jules as was followed by Ed and Wordy who offered to help carry his bags for him. Fifteen minutes later the SUV's were loaded up. Sam sat in the front seat while Ed drove and Jules sat in the back between the car seats.

Sam sighed and leaned his head back against the head rest. He was so happy to be home, and far enough away from the General that he didn't have to see the man. Hopefully for a very long time. Something was nagging at him though. He'd have to explore that later and figure out what it was. For now, he was enjoying being with his family.

As Ed pulled through the gate of the base and started the two hour drive back to Toronto Sam noticed four more SUV's around them. Two in front and two behind them. He immediately recognized them as SRU SUV's and wondered what more SRU Teams were doing all the way out here. He didn't have to wait long to find out. As soon as they hit the interstate all the SUV's switched on their lights and sirens and took off down the road. They were giving him a hero's welcome!

As they made their way back to Toronto Ed and Sam talked about the SRU and how the Team's were doing. Ed could tell that Sam was anxious to get back into things at the SRU. Jules simply smiled in the back seat. This was just like old times. The guys would always talk work.

In record time the SUV's entered Toronto's city limits. Two blocks in three more SUV's joined the convoy with lights and sirens on too. They made their way through the city to the neighborhood where Jules and Sam lived. As they came to a stop outside the house Sam had to wipe away tears that were threatening to spill over. All along the route through Toronto there had been signs and banners welcoming him home. His neighborhood had flags and banners as well, and everyone was gathered on his front lawn.

He had never expected this. So many gathered around to welcome him home. He truly didn't expect it, but he had just received the biggest welcome ever.

A hero's welcome home!


	41. Decisions

**Braddock Residence - 8 Weeks after return to Toronto**

Sam laughed as he watched Sadie with the Nerf gun that was half as big as she was. She was so very little, and yet so very accurate with the weapon. He didn't know what Spike had been thinking when he bought her the toy. Especially as she was now just as deadly with it as her mommy and daddy were.

"I'd hate to be on the wrong end of _her_ scope one day." Cole laughed as he settled into the chair next to Sam. "Looks like she's inherited some traits from her parents."

"What can I say...she has good genes." Sam laughed as he adjusted the sleeping Matt in his arms. His son had decided to take his morning nap in Daddy's arms. Something Sam was more than happy to accommodate.

"So Deadshot, when are you getting back to work. You know, protecting the good guys and taking down the bad guys?" Adams asked as he set a cold beer on the table for Sam and took a swig of his own.

"Monday morning." Sam smiled. He was _so_ ready to get back to life at the SRU. Especially as he would be back on Team One with Ed, Spike, and Leah. It would _almost_ be like old times.

"Frankly I'm surprised he agreed to take as much time off as he has." Baird stated as he joined the group.

"So am I. He never seemed like the type to enjoy time off." Jackson laughed as he ensured he was far enough away from Braddock in case the man decided to deck him.

"I'm not." Williams crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at the men gathered around the table on the back deck. "Surprised that is."

Sam met his eyes and they shared a small smile.

"Why not Batman?" Jackson asked as he looked to their leader.

"Because, he's been away from his family for a very long time. He never had the chance to get to know his son, and his daughter has grown a lot since he left. If it were me I would have done the same thing and taken every minute I could before going back to work." Williams smirked at Sam. "Besides, the time off gives him a good chance to get to work on baby number three!"

All the gathered men busted up laughing as Williams stepped away from Sam to avoid the fist that was flying in his direction. However, it wasn't until a tiny cry was heard that they realized what their laughter could do. Baby Matt had been woken from his nap.

"Sam lifted the crying bundle in his arms to his shoulder and rubbed his son's back while trying to soothe him. He knew the kid was upset about being woken up but also knew that he would have woken up soon anyway even if he hadn't been disturbed. Suddenly Jules was at his side with a smile as she reached for her son.

"Come here baby. Did Daddy and his big loud friends wake you up? Come to Mommy and we'll get you changed and settled back down." Jules cooed as she walked towards the house to change the baby's diaper. She didn't bother saying anything to Sam about waking Matt because she knew nap time had been about up anyway.

"You've got yourself an awesome wife Braddock." Baird commented as he watched Jules walk away with the baby in her arms.

"I got pretty lucky, that's for sure." Sam agreed as he too couldn't take his eyes of the woman that he loved. He would never get over how blessed he was to be able to do life with her!

"Just don't make her mad or she's a force to be reckoned with." Ed laughed as he joined the group of gathered men.

"Ed, good to see you again." Williams turned and shook hands with the SRU officer.

"Same to you Williams." Ed returned the handshake with a smile. "You ready to turn over command of this here crazy kid to me?"

"I don't know..." Williams crossed his arms and eyed Sam carefully. "Can you handle him?"

"I'm sure Ed can handle anything!" Spike offered as he stood next to Ed. "But handling Sam...now that's a whole different ballpark."

"Yeah, Braddock likes to get himself into trouble a lot doesn't he guys?" Leah offered as she joined her SRU Teammates with a grin on her face and a beer in her hand.

"He does. One never knows what kind of trouble they will find Braddock in next." Cole agreed, trying to keep his face from splitting with the grin that he was trying to hide.

"Guys..." Sam started to interrupt.

"He also doesn't do too great with keeping himself from getting hurt." Baird commented, adding his two cents to the conversation.

"True. Very true." Williams raised one hand and stroked his chin like he was thinking very carefully about something.

"What about his tendencies to..." Cole started to add his two cents before getting interrupted by Sam, successfully this time.

"Guys! I'm right here!" Sam stood from his seat and eyed each of the men around him.

Sam loved this, having his SRU family with his JTF2 family. It was a collision of worlds that Sam had never thought possible before.

"What are we arguing about now Ed?" Sophie asked as she stepped up to Ed and laced her hand through his arm. She had been watching the group and was curious what was going on now.

"We're just deciding whether or not I can handle being in charge of one Sam Braddock for the foreseeable future." Ed answered as he placed a hand on Sophie's, his eyes never leaving Sam's.

"How's that going for you?" Wordy asked as he and Shelly joined the growing group.

"Wordy, help me out man. They're talking like I'm not even standing here." Sam complained.

"We are still debating the issue." Williams answered, completely ignoring Sam's comments.

"There are a lot of pro's and con's to that topic." Wordy stated seriously. "Have you considered the fact that he is completely addicted to Iced Capps from Timmy's?"

"No! Actually that particular fact hasn't come up yet. Thanks Wordy!" Cole smiled as he squeezed the other man's shoulder.

"What's going on here guys?" Winnie asked as she and Jules joined the group of adults.

"Jules, help me! Please!" Sam pleaded.

"What's wrong Ed?" Jules asked, ignoring Sam's pleas for just a moment. She knew exactly what was going on and decided to play along for another minute or two.

"Just deciding who get's to order Braddock around for a bit." Ed answered.

"We are discussing the, how shall I say it, _challenges,_ that come with being Braddock's CO." Williams supplied.

"Boss, I think we have a Hot Call over here!" Winnie called over her shoulder to where Greg had been chatting with Dean and Clark.

Greg looked up and fought to hold in his laughter and the look on everyone's faces. All but Sam _seemed_ to really be enjoying themselves. He could see that Sam knew everyone was teasing him though, despite the pissed off look on his face. In good fun he turned to the boys beside him and whispered something before standing and waling towards the group, Marina on his arm.

As Greg approached the group Clark circled around to Sam and placed something in his hand. Sam held back a smirk as he grasped the item and decided who to turn it on. He waited until Dean, Greg, and Marina had joined the group before playing his wild card.

"I won't go with either of you!" Sam stated definitively as he raised the loaded Nerf gun and alternated between pointing it at Ed and Williams.

"Now Mr Braddock. I'm sure we can come to a peaceful conclusion here." Greg stated with a hint of a smile as he raised on hand in front of him.

Over Greg's shoulder Dean raised his Nerf rifle and aimed it at Sam.

"I have the solution." Dean stated just loud enough that everyone could hear.

"I just can't take it anymore!" Sam raised his voice just a bit. "They both think that they can control me. Well they can't."

"I understand that soldier. But pointing that Nerf gun at them isn't going to solve anything." Greg wanted to shake his head in amusement.

"Yes it will!" Sam moved his finger to the trigger. "It'll keep me from having to follow their orders ever again!"

"Ow!" Dean yelled as he felt a Nerf bullet make contact with the back of his head.

"Dean? Are you okay?" Greg asked, suddenly worried about his son.

Everyone turned as one to see what had caused Dean to cry out. Sam all but laughed as he saw his precious daughter with her Nerf gun trained on Dean.

"Sadie, baby, are you helping Daddy out?" Sam asked as he walked around the group to where his daughter stood with a glare on her face.

"Uhuh." Sadie answered as her Daddy got down on one knee next to her. "Bad men, don't hurt my Daddy!"

Jules chuckled softly as she adjusted Matt on her hip. She loved these little moments between her husband and daughter. They were precious memories in the making and she would treasure them forever.

"Sadie, baby. We're just playing. They aren't going to hurt Daddy." Sam carefully explained. He could see why she would think they wanted to hurt him and needed her to know that they were just playing.

Sadie turned her big eyes towards her Daddy but never lowered her Nerf gun.

"Would Sadie like to help Daddy get the big men back for teasing him?" Sam asked seriously.

Sadie nodded her head emphatically as a grin spread from ear to ear on her sweet little face. Sam whispered in her ear before reloading his own Nerf gun.

"You ready Sadie?" Sam asked with a smile.

"Weady!"

"One...two...three!"

On the count of three both Sam and Sadie fired on the gathered group. Ed and Williams were the first to have little foam bullets rain down on them and the rest were soon to follow. Jules and the women, all except for Leah, moved away from the battle in progress. Somehow more Nerf guns were brought out and soon the Braddock backyard was covered in the bullets. Jules was laughing so hard that her sides hurt! These were the days that she loved. Her family by her side, her husband well and playing with their children, and family and friends gathered around.

Nothing could beat a day like today!

* * *

**Office of the Canadian Special Operations Forces, Commander Baxter's Office - Toronto**

Major Copeland sat in a comfortable arm chair across from Commander Baxter. The two men had been talking about the results of the investigation into General Braddock and his treatment of the men under his command, specifically his son Samuel. Copeland couldn't believe his ears though so asked his long time friend for clarification.

"Run that by me one more time. I'm not sure I heard you right."

"You heard me right. It was his decision to make and he made it. It may not be the answer that any of us thought it would be, but it was what he chose to do. Therefore I am going to stick with it." Baxter replied. He had been just as surprised at the man's answer as Copeland currently was.

"Did he really think it through though? I mean Sam did just come back from a mission where he was injured, had to stay in the hospital longer than anticipated due to an infection, and then just returned to his family after being away over a year. Are you sure he was thinking clearly?" Copeland just could not wrap his mind around the answer that Braddock had given the Commander.

"I'm sure. We spoke at length about it." Baxter stood and moved to the bar in the corner to pour himself a drink. "He explained to me that on the flight back from Germany he felt something was different about the General. After he was medically cleared for the trip he traveled to speak to the man. As it turns out General Badass had a change of heart and felt remorse for the way that he treated his son all of those years."

"Ha! Not likely!"

"I know it sounds impossible, but it's true." Baxter returned to his seat, and his explanation. "After several hours of discussion the General told Sam that the reason for the ill treatment over the years is that they had blamed Sam for his sister's death. It wasn't until his captivity that the General realized that it _wasn't_ in any way Sam's fault. While he was being held and during the rescue he realized just what kind of a man Sam was. He was devastated over the fact that they had lost so many years over the issue."

"So the General want's Sam to forgive him? What about his mom, Mrs Badass?" Copeland was curious.

"Apparently Mrs Badass is still pissed at Sam and wants nothing to do with him. The General pleaded his case and she wouldn't budge on the matter. Did you know that _she's_ the reason Sam ended up in the Army?" Baxter took a swig of his drink. "Even though the General is seeking forgiveness it's going to take Sam a very long time to be able to actually give it to him. The man has hurt him in so many ways, so many times."

"But isn't this answer a forgiveness of sorts?"

"It's a beginning at least." Baxter agreed. "It's going to take a lot more work from the General before Sam completely forgives him though."

"I still can't believe that the board allowed Sam Braddock to make the decision on whether or not General Braddock would go to trial. That's _not_ the way things normally work in the Army." Copeland leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"I know. The reason they made that decision was because Sam was the only soldier that was affected by his actions, as crazy as that sounds. With that being the case they decided that they would allow Sam the chance to give the General his dignity back, to keep from dishonoring the family name." Baxter explained.

"So, tell me again so I understand. What exactly was Sam's decision?"

"Sam decided that since the General took a huge step in seeking forgiveness he could at least offer a hint of kindness in return. The General has to offer his resignation from the Army and in return Sam won't press charges. If the General _doesn't_ willingly resign his commission then Sam will press charges to the full extent of the law." Baxter restated what Sam had told him.

"Will General Braddock do it?" Copeland wondered aloud. "I mean, it's a relatively small sentence considering everything the General put Sam through but is he man enough to sign the papers?"

"He already has." Baxter smiled. "Five minutes after I told him what Sam said I had a signed letter of resignation in my hand. That man is determined to do everything in his power to get Sam to give him a chance. I think this is the first step towards reconciliation between the two."

"There are still going to be a lot of hard decisions to make, but it seems like maybe Sam made a good one in this case. I just hope it doesn't come back to bit him someday."

"I don't think it will. I saw the two interacting. The General is serious! And after their discussion I feel as though Sam is ready to explore the possibility of reconciliation in the future. Only time will tell though."

Both men downed the remainder of their drink while lost in their own thoughts. They each thought that Sam had made the right choice in accepting the fact that the General had changed and was willing to consider eventually moving towards forgiveness. They just hoped that the General made the right decisions along the way to facilitate that.

They both hoped, for the sake of their friend, that things worked out well. Only time would tell.


	42. Rookie

**SRU Headquarters "The Barn" - Toronto**

"Morning Sarge."

"Morning Cooper." Ed looked up from where he was talking to Winnie at her desk.

"Hey, we're breakin in the rookie. Wanna watch?" Cooper asked as he walked by with a coffee in his hand.

"Yeah, sure. Just give me five." Ed smiled as he turned towards the locker room to change into uniform. He could already feel that today was going to be a good day.

"Ten rounds. Ten targets. You don't get to miss." Cooper informed the rookie as he snapped a clip into the handgun and handed it to the man.

"I don't miss."

"Mmhmm." Cooper clicked a few keys on the control panel as he talked. "This week's mock up is courtesy of Bob the builder."

"Three sixty simulation." The rookie smiled as he looked at the control panel.

"Nothing but the best for the proud men and women of the SRU." Cooper stated as he turned to unlock the door to the range using the key pad on the door.

"Live ammo right?" The rookie asked.

"Always." Cooper turned and grabbed night vision goggles off of the desk and tossed them to the rookie before closing the door between them. He couldn't wait to see how the rookie did in the range.

"Here we go." Cooper stated as Ed walked in just as he was sitting down at the control panel.

"Play nice." Ed instructed, even as he smirked.

Cooper hit a few keys on the panel in front of him and he and Ed watched the monitors as a target swung out. The rookie hit it dead on with no hesitation whatsoever. It was a perfect shot.

Just then Leah and Johnson walked in.

"The party already started?" Leah asked as the joined the rest of the Team.

"You're just in time." Cooper smiled as he hit another button.

They all watched as yet another target swung out and was hit dead center.

"I love the hair." Johnson commented on the rookies haircut.

Ed couldn't help the laugh that escaped at the comment. He also couldn't wait till Spike got here. It would complete this story. Another target was hit, again in the center.

"Samtastic." Leah smiled as she watched.

Just then Spike walked in. He was clearly eager to see what was going on. Another target, another shot.

"Faster." Ed commented as he watched Sam.

Cooper obliged and another target swung out much faster than they had been. A perfect shot yet again.

"Granny." Ed instructed.

Inside the shooting range a Granny holding a weapon swung out. Sam spun towards the target but immediately lowered his weapon a fraction. He wouldn't shoot an innocent. He also couldn't help but smile. Talk about dejavu!

"Hope no one turns out the lights." Spike commented. This whole line of comments was very familiar to him so he decided to keep up the act.

"Nice!" Johnson smiled.

Cooper punched a button on the control panel with a smile. Inside the range all the lights went out causing the rookie to have to put on the goggles that he had been given.

Five more targets were hit in quick succession. Sam never even missed a beat when it went dark.

"That was good." Spike's grin widened as he watched.

The lights came back up and Sam relaxed a fraction.

"Ha!" He was thrilled. He still had it in him! He took off the goggles and looked around with a smile.

Suddenly Ed leaned over and punched one more button on the control panel. Another target dropped behind Sam.

Sam whirled around and without even thinking took aim and hit the last target perfectly. He turned to the camera and smiled.

"Cool, what else you got?" Sam asked with a laugh.

"How about you get in here Braddock!" Ed laughed.

Spike opened the door for his friend and clapped him on the back as he walked through to join the rest of Team One in the control room.

"That felt like a blast from the past." Spike laughed as the Team exited the control room.

"What do you mean by that?" Johnson asked.

"Sam's very first day at the SRU started like that." Ed answered.

"Exactly like that!" Spike laughed. "Same conversation and everything."

"You guys have way too much fun!" Winnie laughed as the Team approached her desk.

"Did you do the whole 'breaking in the rookie' routine with Sam again?" Jules laughed. She had stopped by with the kids after a stop at Timmies. She had brought coffee for all of Team One.

"They did." Sam gratefully accepted the iced capp that his wife had brought him.

"He was Samtastic, as usual." Spike beamed. His best friend was back, at work, and on his Team once again. Nothing could make this day better!

"Okay Team. Briefing room in five." Ed instructed as he accepted the double double from Jules with a thanks.

The Team spent the next five minutes standing around Winnie's desk chatting. It was nice when they weren't running for a Hot Call from the moment they got on shift. Just as the Team was about to move to the conference room, and Jules was about to leave, Winnie's phone rang.

"SRU, how can I help you." Winnie answered the phone using her headset. After a moment she sat up straighter and motioned to Ed. "Copy. I have Team One right here. Let me patch you into Sergeant Lane."

"What do we have Winnie?" Ed asked as he stepped back up to Winnie's desk.

"Unsure." Winnie commented as she pushed a couple of buttons that patched her line to Ed's headset. Spike ran off to get the headsets for the rest of the Team from where he had dropped them off in the conference room. The whole Team would be interested to hear what was going on. Not to mention they'd probably be leaving soon.

"This is Sargent Ed Lane with the SRU."

"Sargent Lane. This is Commandant Lincoln at Richmond's Military Academy. We have a bit of a situation and we are hoping you can assist us."

"What's the situation Commandant?" Ed asked curiously.

"Commandant?" Sam whispered as he accepted the comms from Spike and quickly set it up.

The Team got patched in just as the Commodore was explaining the situation.

"We have a retired General on campus today with his wife. He's inspecting the facilities and offering a sizable donation. We had some special events planned and during one of them a platoon of students barged in with live weapons and took our guests. They are somewhere in the wilderness around the school. I have all of my men securing the campus and keeping the students contained." The Commandant explained. "Just before they left the building the General instructed me to call the SRU and ask for Team One's assistance."

"Who is the retired General?" Sam asked, although he thought he already knew the answer.

"Commandant, who is the retired General?" Ed asked. He saw the look on Sam's face and had a feeling that they were thinking the same thing.

"It's former General Braddock of Canadian Special Forces." Commandant Lincoln answered.

"Shit." Sam said under his breath. He quickly kissed Jules on the cheek before taking off for the gun cage.

Spike quickly followed after Sam. As the two men disappeared around the corner Ed nodded to the rest of the Team to follow suit.

"Sir, we will do our best to get there as soon as possible but due to distance you are looking at about forty minutes." Ed explained as he followed his Team. "In the meantime I want you to lock down the school. No one goes in or out. Our tech will also need access to everything."

"Understood sir. We will cooperate as much as possible." The Commandant stated.

Ed finished his discussion with the man in charge of the military academy for boys as Team One geared up and then they jumped in the SUV's. Leah drove Spike so he could start pulling up all the techie stuff needed. Cooper and Johnson piled into the second SUV and pulled out directly behind Leah. Ed jumped in the driver seat of the SUV he and Sam were in and all three vehicles headed directly out of town to Richmond.

"Spike, tell me what we know about this place." Ed instructed over the comms. He noted that Sam was quieter than usual, but that could be due to this being his first time back out in the cool pants.

"Ed, this school has been around for ages. Old buildings, lots of wilderness surrounding the area. It looks like this is just your standard, run of the mill, military school for boys." Spike commented as his Team could hear him typing away on his computer.

"It's not." Sam stated quietly.

"What do you mean by that Samo? You know the school?" Ed asked as he glanced at the man next to him.

"It's not your standard, run of the mill, military school for boys." Sam repeated as he turned to look at Ed. "It's a place where parents send their wayward sons to straighten them out before sending them into the Army."

"So we're talking what...boys that act out? Hard to manage at home? Always getting into trouble?" Johnson asked.

"Not all of them, but a lot of them for sure." Sam answered.

"Sam." Ed motioned for him to mute his headset as he did the same. "What's going on?"

"Just a Hot Call Ed." Sam answered simply.

"I don't think so." Ed disagreed. "Don't think I didn't notice the fact that you avoided the question of whether or not you know the school. You've been there before."

Sam turned and looked out the window for a long minute.

"Yeah, I went there." Sam finally answered. "My parents sent me there not long after my sister died. I was told that it was because they couldn't stand to see my face when my sister was dead because of me."

"Nothing I say can ever make that better." Ed finally said after a long moment. "Just know that we're here for you, no matter what. If you need to sit this one out..."

"No. I'm good Ed. I'm one of your best resources on this call." Sam stated. He knew that his intimate knowledge of the campus would come in extremely useful. "Let me do this. Please."

Ed looked at Sam closely and considered his options. He knew that benching Sam probably wasn't the best idea seeing as Sam would know this place like the back of his hand. Using his knowledge of the school and surrounding area would be their best option.

"Okay." Ed nodded his head as he spoke. "You're our TL. Time to see what you're made of Braddock." Ed finished with a smirk as he flipped his comms unit back on.

"...the last schematic I have for the compound is over five years old." Spike was saying when the comms were switched back on.

"Even those won't be accurate." Sam commented as he took a deep breath. "I attended there from the time I was ten to when I graduated High School. I know the place like the back of my hand. There are a ton of underground tunnels and secret passageways that won't show on the schematics."

"So what do we do then?" Cooper asked curiously.

"Spike, can you make additions to the schematics?" Sam asked as tilted his head and looked towards Ed.

"What are you thinking Sam?" Ed asked. He couldn't wait to see what his TL had come up with.

"If Spike can add to his schematics I can walk him through things and we can fill in some of he hidden tunnels, rooms, and so on." Sam answered.

"Yes! Yeah, that could work." Spike said animatedly. "Okay Samtastic, let's do this. Start with the Commandant's office."

Sam and Spike spent the next thirty minutes of the drive talking over the schematics and giving the Team a better feel for the actual layout of the school. Sam wasn't looking forward to being back on campus, but he also knew that the boys there needed help. That's what his Team did, help people. Now it was time they helped some struggling boys find their way back.


	43. Richmond's Military Academy

**Richmond's Military Academy**

Three black SUV's came barreling to a stop just outside the administration building of Richmond's Military Academy for boys. The officer's had made good time on the trip and had arrived thirty minutes after leaving the SRU. Commandant Lincoln stood outside with his right hand man. Both were clearly stressed.

"Okay Team, I'll talk to Commandant Lincoln. You all grab the gear." Ed instructed as the SUV came to a stop. "Sam, with me."

"Copy." Sam got out and followed Ed to where Commandant Lincoln stood. However, the man at the Commandant's side was quite a surprise.

"Commandant, I'm Sergeant Ed Lane with the SRU. We spoke on the phone." Ed introduced himself as he approached the man that was clearly in charge.

"Sergeant, thank you for coming. This is my second in command, Captain Hanson." Lincoln introduced the man to his right.

"And this is my Team Leader..."

"Samuel Braddock. I remember you, son." Lincoln said as he turned to Sam.

"You know Braddock?" Ed asked as he looked between the two men.

"Yes sir, he does. Commandant Lincoln had been at this post for just over a year when I was enrolled." Sam answered as he held the man's gaze. Lincoln didn't intimidate him, not anymore.

"One of my brightest pupils." Commandant Lincoln gave a small smile.

Sam barely suppressed his laugh at the Commandant's comment.

Ed didn't miss the laugh that Sam tried to hide at the Commandant's words and wondered at it and decided to leave it alone for now. They had a job to do, they could talk later.

"Commandant, we'd like to see where the General and his wife were abducted from. We'll conduct our search from there." Ed stated as he saw the rest of the Team approaching.

"Of course. Captain Hanson can show you the way and answer any questions that you may have." Lincoln stated.

"Thank you sir. Also, where are the students located?" Ed asked, they would need to conduct interviews.

"The Cadets are in the gymnasium." Hanson answered with a hint of a smirk at Braddock.

"You put all the potential witnesses in the same room?" Ed asked as he turned a hard look at the Captain.

"It is the safest place on campus." Hanson commented.

"Where were General and Mrs Braddock taken from?" Ed asked the Commandant. He wasn't liking his first impression of Hanson.

"The gymnasium." Lincoln answered.

"You corralled all of the remaining cadets into the same building that the Braddocks were taken from and thought it would be _safe?"_ Sam asked as he glared at the two Army officers.

"It doesn't matter now Sam. Take Hanson, Cooper, and Leah to the gymnasium and see if you can figure out how General and Mrs Braddock were taken." Ed instructed as he turned to his Team. "Spike, get us access to the security system and any CCTV that they have. I want everything you've got from the gymnasium from the time of abduction forwards and back for at least six hours. Johnson, we need to get all the recruits confined to their rooms. Work with the instructors and see how fast you can get that done. I want you to do witness interviews as they go. See what you can find out. If you need help let me know. Commandant Lincoln, I need a full list of all your cadets and who is currently missing. I will then need the student files of those missing recruits." Ed instructed.

Team One moved off in different directions to do as instructed. Ed followed Commandant Lincoln into his office to speak with him about what happened and lay down the groundwork for his Team to get what info they needed. Spike was instructed to follow one of the other instructors to the security office where he would set up his computers and get to work finding out what really happened. The rest of the Team followed Sam and Hanson to the gymnasium where Johnson would supervise the students being moved back to their rooms so that the rest of Team One could take a look around and figure out their next step.

"Okay Commandant Lincoln, it's time to tell me what really happened here today." Ed stated as they entered the office of the man in charge.

* * *

**Gymnasium**

As Sam entered the gymnasium with the rest of his Team he took a deep breath. Inside this room were many memories for him but he had to put them aside to help those who took his parents, as well as to rescue them. Again!

"Johnson, get these kids out of here. We'll start looking around to see what we can find." Sam instructed.

The sniper/negotiator turned with several of the school's instructors and soon all the students were forming a line and filing out towards the dorms.

"Hanson, walk us through what happened." Sam turned to the Captain.

"Why should I tell you?" Hanson turned to face Sam's gaze.

"Look, I know we don't have the best history and that you hate my guts. But, there are kids out there who are confused and in danger. Help us help those kids!" Sam stated.

"You mean help me save your precious mommy and daddy?" Hanson sneered. "Why would I save General Badass after what happened to Johnny?"

"Hanson, now is _not_ the time for this discussion. What happened to Johnny wasn't fair, I know that. But do you really think he would want you to let a few confused kids get hurt just because you don't like me?" Sam stood a bit straighter. He waited a moment before continuing. "That's what I thought. Now, what was happening in this room when the kids took off with the General?"

Hanson wanted to punch Braddock where he stood. That man didn't have the right to even utter his brother's name. He decided to cooperate, for now, until he had a batter chance to seek his revenge.

"We were holding an Honor Guard demonstration. The guard was on the floor performing when eight boys suddenly stood and moved to surround the Braddocks. They had small weapons and masks over their faces. They shot a couple of rounds into the air to cause confusion and next thing we knew the Braddocks were gone. I have no idea how they would have gotten out of this building." Hanson finally answered.

"Show me where they were sitting." Sam instructed. "Leah, Cooper, start an initial sweep of the gym. See what you can find."

"Copy." Leah and Cooper both responded. Neither one missed the tension between Sam and Hanson and each wondered at the history between the two. Maybe they'd get to find out soon.

"Jackson, you might want to interview the Honor Guard. They were performing during the incident. They may have seen something." Sam stated over the comms.

As Hanson showed Sam where the General and Mrs Braddock were sitting Sam couldn't help but remember the older Hanson. He had served with Johnny Hanson. The man had been a good soldier, a friend. He knew from the moment he saw Captain Jack Hanson that the topic of his older brother would come up eventually. He just hoped they would be able to put aside their differences until this Hot Call was resolved.

"They were sitting here." Hanson pointed to the chairs that the retired General and his wife had been sitting.

Sam stepped up to the place where his parents had been sitting and knelt down in front of the chairs. He looked carefully at the area surrounding the chairs looking for any evidence that would help them in the search. He completely ignored the fact that Hanson was staring him down behind his back.

"Leah, Cooper, did you find anything?" Sam asked as he stood and studied the stands behind where his parents had been sitting.

"Negative. Nothing of interest." Leah reported as she came up behind Sam.

"Shouldn't there be at least a _hint_ of evidence in here?" Cooper asked as he joined Leah and his TL.

"There is, just not what you think." Sam commented as he reached for his flashlight. "There is a hint of dirt residue here at the base of the chairs." Sam pointed out. "I know where this combination of dirt and rocks can be found. We're going for a hike."

"Team One, report in." Ed came over the comms. He had just finished his interview with the Commandant and was ready to join his Team.

"Boss, I know who took the General." Spike came in over the comms.

"Who Spike?" Sam asked, listening closely for the answer.

"There is a group of ten cadets that took them. One fired three shots into the air causing chaos to ensue. In the following seconds they grabbed the General and Mrs Braddock before disappearing somewhere in the stands. I lost them there." Spike explained.

"They took them through a passage here in the gym." Sam took a couple of steps towards the stands. "It takes them underground and to an exit on the east side of campus. From there they could go anywhere."

"Sam, can you track them?" Ed asked as he stepped outside to head towards the gym.

"Yeah. I can track them." Sam answered as he started to walk towards the wall behind the bleachers.

"Leah, go with Sam through the tunnel. Make sure they aren't still in there. Cooper, stand guard at the entrance until they come out the other side. I don't want any surprises. Spike and I will grab our gear and meet you at the other end." Ed instructed.

"Ed..."

"Yeah Samo?"

"Make sure you bring the long range riffle." Sam instructed as he raised his weapon and paused at the wall. "I have a feeling we're going to need it."

"Copy. Go careful guys." Ed cautioned.

"Always Ed." Leah answered as Sam opened a section of wall. She never would have guessed it was the entrance to a secret tunnel. But, that is why they call it secret after all.

Sam took a deep breath as he entered the tunnel. The last time he had been in a tunnel with Leah for the SRU was when Darren Kovacs was plaguing the Goodwin Colosseum. He hoped this Hot Call ended better than that one had.

They moved cautiously down the tunnel. Leah watched Sam's back carefully. A lot had changed in the last few years, they both had grown into their roles better than anyone could imagine. She had been so happy to hear that Sam was going to be their new TL. He deserved the promotion more than anyone she knew. Now though, they had a mission. They had to find the Braddocks and keep them from being injured, or worse, killed. Even though she personally didn't see why they should bother she knew that it would be the right thing to do.

Sam paused at another entrance to the tunnel. Leah came up beside him and they quietly checked the small tunnel before moving on.

"Where does that one go?" Leah whispered as they kept moving.

"One of the dorms. This tunnel goes past two dorms and the dining hall before coming out just the other side of the fence about six thousand yards from the side gate." Sam explained.

From that point on the two kept moving in silence. They came up to the exit of the tunnel five minutes later.

"We've reached the end of the tunnel. There's no one here." Sam reported in as he and Leah approached the door.

"Copy. Cooper, meet up with us at the end of the tunnel. Tell Hanson we appreciate his assistance and that we will take it from here." Ed instructed. "Sam we're outside the exit. You're clear."

"Copy." Sam opened the door and blinked rapidly for a moment while his eyesight adjusted to the sunlight.

Once Sam and Leah adjusted to the sunlight Ed, Spike, and Johnson handed out the needed weapons and ammo. Sam slung the sniper rifle over his shoulder and double checked his gear as he looked around. As soon as Cooper joined the Team Ed looked to Sam.

"What do you see Sam?" Ed asked, he could see that Sam had found something and was curious as to what the ex soldier had come up with.

"They followed that trail." Sam stated as he pointed to a trail head not a hundred yards away. "If you look closely you can see where they tried to cover their tracks."

"How do you even _see_ the covered tracks?" Cooper asked as he adjusted his hold on his weapon.

"Let's just say that long range marksmanship isn't my only skill." Sam commented as he headed towards the trail. "Come on. They have over an hour head start on us. We need to get moving."

Ed simply fell in line behind Sam. He trusted the other man to get them where they needed to go. His skills in tracking came second only to his skills as a sniper. He had seen both in action before and needless to say the deer didn't stand a chance when they went hunting together. As Team One hiked each wondered how long it would be until they found those they were looking for, and what they would encounter when they found them.

They just had to find them to see.


	44. Remembering Old Friends

**Woods Surrounding Richmond's Military Academy for Boys**

Twenty minutes into their hike in the woods the heavens opened and a light rain began to fall. Sam, who was leading the group, slowed the pace a bit as following the tracks in the woods became more difficult with each passing minute of rain. He knew that before long they would lose the trail all together and so he paused to take a minute and consider his surroundings.

"Why are we stopping?" Alex Cooper asked, curious as to why they had stopped instead of picking up the pace when the rain stopped.

Sam ignored the question for a moment as he looked around and got a bearing on their location.

"Is he just going to ignore us the whole time we are standing here getting drenched?" Mark Johnson asked, clearly irritated.

"He's not ignoring you." Leah commented as she watched their TL. "He's taking in the surroundings and deciding what to do next seeing as the tracks are washing away in the rain. And you're not drenched...yet."

"Then why doesn't he just say so?" Cooper wondered aloud.

"Because, the longer we stand here and chat the farther away they could be getting." Sam answered as he passed his MP5 to Leah and pulled out his Remi.

"Sam?" Ed asked curiously.

"I'm going to climb up that small ledge and see if I can't catch sight of them from there. It'll give me a pretty good vantage of a good chunk of this area of woods. Not to mention I can see a couple of good hiding spots from there." Sam answered as he slung the weapon over his shoulder.

"Johnson, go with him." Ed instructed. "The rest of you fan out and keep watch."

Ed was met with four "Copy" as the Team moved to do as instructed.

Sam turned to Johnson. "You ready?"

"Sure, why not." Johnson answered. He was getting tired and knew it was affecting his attitude. As he followed Sam up the small incline to the ledge he had indicated he took a moment to put his attitude in check and focus back on the call. As the reached the top he took a deep breath before addressing his Team Leader. "Braddock, I'm sorry for my remarks a few minutes ago. I let the weather and my tiredness get the best of me. I spoke disrespectfully and you don't deserve that. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to apologize for Johnson. Everyone on the Team is free to express their opinion. Just try to keep it a bit more respectful next time." Sam smiled as he glanced at the younger man. Johnson reminded him of himself not long after he joined the SRU, cocky and mouthy.

As Sam knelt down on the ledge he set his Remi on a boulder and opened the scope. Johnson knelt next to him and pulled out binoculars to look around as well.

"What are we looking for exactly?" Johnson asked as he began to scan the area.

"This area of the woods is riddled with caves, rock overhangs, and other such hiding areas. If I were them I would find one to hole up in." Sam answered as he slowly began to scan the woods ahead with a trained eye.

The two observed the area for a long minute before either spoke.

"You know, this reminds me of my last training exercise from sniper training." Sam commented.

"Oh yeah?" Johnson was curious now.

"Yeah. Me and my buddy Matt were out in this training field for, oh, probably ten hours or so." Sam chuckled as he remembered the training exercise. "It was dark, cold, and wet already and while we were out there it started to downpour. Man it was so cold and the mud just seeped into _everything_. Matt couldn't stop complaining! I mean, if it were a real world scenario and we were in the field our enemy would have found us simply because Matt couldn't keep his big trap shut!"

"Sounds like you two had quite a lot of fun together." Johnson commented as he closely observed a cave. He had thought he saw movement there but wanted to see if he was right before saying anything.

"He was a great friend. I really miss him some days." Sam answered. He took a deep breath and pushed away the brief feeling of guilt that always surfaced when he remembered Matt.

"So, I'm assuming you passed the training exercise then."

"With flying colors. Matt was my spotter, as well as a sniper himself. We both finished in the top five." Sam smiled.

"How many were in your class?" Johnson was curious just how good Sam _really_ was.

"We graduated with thirty in the class." Sam answered. "It was the largest group to graduate that year."

"Where in the top five did you place?" Cooper asked over the comms. He had been listening in and was curious.

Ed simply grinned as did Leah and Spike. They already knew the answer but it wouldn't hurt for the rookies to hear it from Sam himself.

"I was the top graduate that year." Sam answered simply as he looked closer at a cave with a rock overhang above the entrance. "I found them. Two o'clock, just under that rock overhang about two clicks out."

Johnson turned his gaze to the direction Sam indicated and quickly found the location he was referring to. He could make out a dozen young men in camo uniforms as well as both of the Braddocks. The General was in full uniform and his hands were bound behind his back. The Mrs was sitting on a boulder, clearly chilled, with her hands bound in front of her. Of the two she looked the most pissed off.

"I see them." Johnson confirmed. "We have twelve subjects and two hostages." He relayed to the Team on the ground.

When he saw the group that had his parents he was both relieved and worried. He didn't know how his parents would respond to him being there, or if they would be able to connect with the kids in such a way that they could get everyone out unharmed. Thankfully they still had a bit of time to figure that out as they still had to hike the rest of the way there.

Johnson and Sam quickly climbed down from where they had been perched and met up with the rest of the Team. Sam quickly stowed away the rifle and reclaimed his Remi from Leah. She offered him a small grin before readjusting her hold on her own weapon and turning towards the rest of the Team.

"Okay Team. We'll hike in and once we get close we'll fan out. I don't want to give them a way of escape." Ed turned to Sam. "Is there a back way out of that cave that you know of?"

"No sir. It's a relatively small outcropping to be honest. They can't go very far back and the overhang of rock is the only thing keeping them dry right now." Sam answered.

"Good. Once we get there we'll assess the situation the proceed."

"Copy!"

"Sam, a moment." Ed gestured to the side and both men muted their comms so the rest of the Team wouldn't hear.

"What's up Ed?" Sam asked curiously.

"Do your parents know that you're back on Team One?" Ed asked.

"No. They know I came back to SRU but we're not exactly on speaking terms right now." Sam answered simply.

"Good. I want you to stay out of sight once we get there. I wan't to use you as our secret weapon." Ed explained. "I think you can get through to these kids depending on _why_ they took your parents. But, I don't want your parents to know you're here. Could escalate the situation before we're ready."

"Understandable. I don't have a good relationship with them and if they see me they could just cause more problems. I agree, we need to assess before I'm spotted." Sam agreed.

Ed smiled and squeezed Sam's shoulder before rejoining the Team.

"Let's move." Sam instructed and took the lead once again, Spike right on his heels. He was ready to get out of these woods.

* * *

Twenty five minutes later Team One came to a stop and gathered around. From their vantage point they could see the group but were just far enough away that if they whispered they wouldn't be heard.

"Sam, Spike, move to the right. Leah, Cooper...left. Johnson, you're with me. Fan out, I don't want anyone running off." Ed instructed.

Team One simply nodded in response and moved out. Sam was careful to make sure he was close enough to the group that he could be of assistance, but yet far enough away that he wouldn't be seen.

"General Braddock, this is Ed Lane from the SRU. We're here to help." Ed said as he made first contact.

"Go away!" One of the young men called out.

"I can't do that son. I'm here to help. Can you tell me what has brought us here today?" Ed asked cautiously so as not to escalate the situation.

"The Braddocks brought us here. Now go _away_."

"Connect Ed. Ask him his name." Johnson whispered. He was more than willing to leave negotiations to his Sergeant. But, once in a while, Ed needed a little nudge in the right direction.

"Can you tell me your name son?" Ed asked, silently thanking Johnson for the gentle reminder. Negotiations never were his strongest suit.

"Camden." The young man answered simply.

Ed could tell that Camden was the head of the group. He was the one they needed to get through to and the rest would surely follow.

"Camden. Is that a first name?" Ed already knew the answer. He was simply using the question to get the young man talking.

"Jason. Jason Camden."

"Jason, I'm Ed. It's nice to meet you." Ed offered a reassuring look. "Now Jason, can you tell me why you decided to take the Braddocks hostage?"

"They deserve to die. All the Braddocks deserve to _die_!" Jason said emphatically.

Sam's sharp intake of breath did not go unnoticed by any members of Team One.

"Can you tell me why Jason? What did the Braddocks do that warrants a death sentence?" Ed asked carefully. He didn't like where the negotiations were going and he had only just begun.

"They're here to make a huge donation to the school. That's why!" Jason said as he waved his sidearm around.

"And you feel that is a bad thing." Ed stated.

"Of course it is! Don't you know what goes on here?" Jason yelled. "Of course you don't. You have no idea what they do to us here. How they treat us."

"Then why don't you tell me so we can find a resolution to the problem." Ed said calmly.

" **There is no resolution. _"_** Jason yelled. "You can't understand!"

Ed took a deep breath and glanced to his right where he knew Sam was. Without a word Johnson and Sam began to switch positions. Sam knew what was needed of him now.

"You're right. I don't understand. But I know someone who does." Ed commented as Sam joined him, still just out of sight.

"Who? Who in the world could possible understand the _hell_ that this place is?" Jason asked curiously, his voice still raised.

"Someone who has been here before. A former student of the Academy." Ed answered simply.

"And who are you going to get out here to talk to me before I blow their brains out?" Jason asked with a hint of humor in his voice.

"Me." Sam answered simply as he stepped into view.

"And just who do you think you are?" Jason asked as he sneered at the newcomer.

"My name is Sam."

"Samuel Braddock! You get us out of here right now!" Elanoir Braddock demanded as soon as her son came into view.

Ed closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Knowing that Sam was a Braddock may not help the situation.

Sam, to his credit, kept his gaze locked onto Jason's. He ignored his mother and his focus never wavered.

"You're a _Braddock?!"_ Jason's eyebrows rose with his voice. "Sam Braddock? _The_ Sam Braddock?"

"The only one that I know of." Sam answered simply. He knew he had a reputation at the school. He held all of the physical training records after all. None of which had been broken since he graduated.

"Well isn't this just perfect." Jason breathed an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. This was going to be easier than he thought. "You're just the man we need then."

"You don't really want to be out here Jason. You don't really want to be doing this. So tell me, how can I help you?" Sam asked, choosing to ignore the kids last comment. He didn't like how it sounded and wanted to get the young man's thoughts elsewhere.

"How can you help us?" Jason couldn't help a small laugh. One that Sam thought sounded sad, almost desperate. "You can help us by dying!"

At that Jason raised his weapon at Sam.

"Hanson just wanted us to rough up the General and Mrs Braddock, to get to you. He'll be pleased to know we got instead."

"Hanson?" Sam asked as he swallowed a lump of dread in his throat.

"Yeah, Hanson. He had us take the General as a bit of payback to you. But, since you're here I'm sure he'll want us to kill you instead. You did get his brother killed after all."

With those words Sam knew he was screwed.


	45. Reliving the Past

**Woods surrounding Richmond's Military Academy**

"Man, what are you doing?" One of the other cadets asked as he came up beside Jason. "Hanson said this was just a drill, no one was supposed to get hurt. And now you're pointing a gun at an SRU officer. Have you gone off the deep end?"

"A drill, Max? You honestly think he would give us live weapons for a _drill_. Man, come on. This was _never_ a drill." Jason answered as he kept his gaze on Sam. "Hanson told me that this was our mission. To abduct and hold the Braddocks for an undetermined amount of time. He's supposed to meet us out here and tell us what to do with them. Can you imagine how happy he'll be when he finds out we have the man he's been after for years?"

"You're sick man. I didn't sign up for this. None of us did." Max said with a shake of his head. "I'm out of here. Who's with me?" Max turned to the rest of the group and nine of the twelve kids nodded their head in agreement.

"No! You can't go!" Jason said desperately.

Sam caught onto the desperation in Jason's voice.

"Jason, why can't they go?" Sam asked calmly, ignoring the glares from his mom.

"The plan, it won't work without them. I need them. They _can't go_!"

"Nah man. I'm not gonna let you pop a cop just cause Captain Stupid told you to. Man, you'll go to jail _for life_." Another student argued.

"I don't care Ben. I _have_ to finish this mission." Jason argued.

"I have the solution." Ed whispered into his comms. There was no way in hell he was going to let a teenager kill Sam on his first day back to the SRU.

"Stand down Team. He's not going to shoot me." Sam stated matter of factly.

"Sam..." Ed cautioned.

"No, Ed, it's fine. Jason isn't going to shoot." Sam raised a hand palm out towards Ed as a gesture to back off. "You're not going to shoot are you Jason? You and I both know that that's not what you're here for today now is it?" Sam asked as he turned back towards the young man. "I think this goes much deeper than you just following orders."

Jason just stared at Sam. As the Team watched they didn't know what in the world Sam was talking about but trusted that he somehow knew something that they did not.

"No, this isn't really about me. Jason, do you have a brother in school at the Academy too?" Sam asked, looking the young man in the eye. He recognized the signs that Jason was protecting someone. After all, he had been doing it all of his life.

"How did you know?" Jason asked, eyes narrowed.

"Call it a gut feeling. You see, I went to school here once too. My parents sent me here when I was ten years old. Everyone knew who my father was so bullying was the norm for me. One of the instructors knew why I had been sent me here so he chose me as his special project. His gopher so to speak." Sam answered.

"Why were you here?" Jason was curious.

"My little sister died right next to me when I was nine years old." Sam answered softly. "My parents blame me instead of the drunk driver that hit her. They thought it was my fault that their precious baby girl was gone. They couldn't even stand looking at me so they sent me away for school. They sent me here."

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat as Jason's eyes remained locked on his. He could tell that he was connecting with the young man and he didn't want to lose that.

"It was a complete accident..." Sam continued.

"You _liar_! It's _all your fault_ that my Anna Marie is dead! You were supposed to _protect_ her! You were her brother, brother's are protectors. But no, you let my baby die. _You killed my baby!"_ Elaine Braddock screamed at her son. It had been a long time since she had seen him and all her anger at him for allowing her baby to die resurfaced and she saw red.

"Shut her up!" Jason yelled as he turned back to look at where the Braddocks were seated. Mrs Braddock had stood up during her outburst.

Ed watched Sam and Jason closely as Max ripped a strip of fabric off his shirt and used it to gag Sam's mom. Ed had been afraid that the outburst would affect negotiations. However, based on Jason's facial expression it only served to move the negotiations forward.

"How did she die?" Jason finally asked as he turned his gaze back to the officer in front of him.

"We were walking home from the park when a drunk driver popped the curb. The force of the impact was such that she was knocked right out of her shoes. I was right next to her. I can still see her shoes next to me on the sidewalk." Sam took a steadying breath. "There was absolutely nothing I could have done to keep her from being hit, it all happened so fast."

"When I came here one of the instructors knew the story and threatened to tell everyone that I killed my little sister if I didn't do exactly what he said. To start with it was just little things like fetching coffee or cleaning his boots. As my first year progressed he had me doing more errands. If I ever told him I couldn't, or that I didn't want to do something, he'd beat the ever living daylights out of me. The only way I could get out of it was if I was studying or doing PT. So I spent all my time doing both. I committed myself to my education one million percent to keep from having to do his bidding."

Ed, Spike, Leah, and the rest of Team One listened stunned. They knew Sam had a rough childhood but they never imagined this.

"By the end of my first year at the academy I was not only at the top of my class, but also at the top of his list." Sam continued, his gaze never leaving Jason. "By time my second year started here he was determined to make my life even more of a living hell that it had been. My second year he forced me to help him with his drug dealing on campus. It was my responsibility to deliver the drugs to the popular kids, the jocks. If I argued he'd beat me. But, it got to the point that I didn't care and I told him no anyway. That's when he started going after my friends. He threatened them with bodily harm if I didn't do exactly what he said. So I did. He used those that I cared about against me. It was either do as he said or watch as he beat them in front of me. After failing to protect my sister and seeing what happened to her because of it I had no other choice."

Sam took a steadying breath.

"So trust me when I tell you that I've seen that look in your eyes before, in my own. He is threatening your brother isn't he?"

"I'm so sorry about what happened to your sister." Jason said after a long minute. "Yeah, Hanson's threatening my brother." He finally admitted.

"Jason, I _know_ how hard it is to admit that to me. But let me tell you, we are going to do _everything_ within our power to stop him. And let me tell you a secret, we have a _lot_ of power to bring down bullies like him." Sam smiled as he spoke.

The entire group was silent as they watched Sam and Jason. It was clear that the young man was thinking long and hard about what he was going to do next.

"Can you promise me that Mikey will be safe?" Jason asked, begging the officer before him.

"I can promise you, we won't let Hanson hurt him anymore!" Sam stated with finality.

Spike sighed in relief as Jason lowered the weapon and closed his eyes. Sam immediately moved forward and took the weapon, passing it to Ed. The rest of Team One quickly moved in and relieved the rest of the students of their weapons as Sam enveloped Jason in a tight hug and the young man broke down crying in his arms.

After a long minute Jason pulled back and sniffed as he wiped his eyes. Finally, finally there was a way to protect his baby brother!

"Sir..."

"Sam, call me Sam."

"Sam, why is it that Captain Hanson blames you for his brothers death?" Jason asked as he looked at the SRU Officer.

"Yeah Braddock, why do I blame you for Johnny's death?" Captain Hanson asked as he barged into the clearing, MP5 in hand.

In one swift move all the SRU officers turned to the newcomer. Five MP5's and one sidearm was pointed at him in the blink of an eye.

"Go on, tell everyone how you got Johnny killed Braddock. Since you were there, the only one that didn't _die,_ you should know!" Captain Hanson stated as he stepped into the clearing.

"Leah, Cooper, get the kids out of here." Ed stated quietly into his headset.

"No way out Ed, we're backed into a corner." Leah stated as she glanced around her. There was no way to get the kids out without walking right past Hanson.

Leah and Cooper moved the kids as far away from Hanson as they could. Meanwhile Sam stared Hanson down.

"Well..." Hanson was clearly waiting for Sam to tell what happened to the his brother.

"Jack, nothing I say can change the fact that Johnny is gone. I know that. But it is _not_ my fault." Sam answered after a deep breath. "It took me a very _long_ time to get over the survivors guilt."

"You're _lying!_ You could have saved him. I _know_ you could have. But instead you decided to save your own sorry ass." Hanson bellowed.

"How could I have saved him?" Sam asked, his voice also raised just as much as Hanson's. "Please, do tell. Because from where I was there was no possible way! Were you there? Were you tortured within an inch of your life? Did you hang from a chain with your blood pooling on the floor beneath you as they forced you to watch as they tortured one of your best friends? Watching but unable to help because they had just laid your back open with a whip, again? You have _no idea_ what happened and yet you're ready to blow my brains out because I couldn't help one of my best friends!"

" _YOU_ _GOT OUT_! Why couldn't you get Johnny out too?" Hanson asked, he was getting even more agitated as they spoke. "You were _right there_. _WHY_ did you get out but not him?"

"Because he was already dead. He died two weeks before we were rescued." Sam answered, his voice low and the emotion clear in his voice.

Ed's ears perked up even more at the words from Sam. He had known that Akbar had held three of Sam's Unit captive, had killed two of them. But, from the way Sam was talking he was saying he was one of them? Ed wondered if Sam had left out that fact just because he didn't want to be asked questions. As much as he wanted to ask questions later he knew that it would be better for him to just wait and see if Sam shared.

"You could have saved him!" Hanson stated yet again as if it were fact.

"How? How could I have saved him?" Sam asked as he took a step toward the Captain. "When he died I was almost dead myself. We all had been waterboarded, stabbed, beaten, shocked, and whipped more times than I can count. Hell, all of us were fighting infections at the time. We could all barely move when they killed him."

"You should have _done_ something!"

"Tell me then...what could I have done? Have you ever been beaten? Tortured? I didn't think so. But I have...twice. I have been in the hands of terrorists for a total of eight months. I missed the birth of my son because I was being tortured! So if you think you know oh so much then tell me, oh great one. How could I have saved Johnny. What could I have done different to save one of my best friends? _What?!_ "

Hanson stared blankly at Sam for a long moment. He had been shocked at the words from Braddock. He knew Braddock had been there, but didn't realize the man had been tortured twice. But that didn't change anything. He had been there when Johnny was killed. He could have helped his brother. He could have done something, _anything_ to bring Johnny home! But he didn't, and now his older brother was six feet under. In that moment all he saw was his brothers flag draped casket and his blood boiled.

Hanson made the decision. Braddock was responsible. Braddock would pay.

The sound of a single gunshot echoed through the woods and a man fell to the ground, a bullet between the eyes.


	46. A Great Future Ahead

**Woods surrounding Richmond's Military Academy**

Spike took a long, deep breath as the sound of the gunshot echoed through the woods. He hadn't expected today to go the way it had. It was Samtastic's first day back on the job after all. Who would have imagined that they would have ended up at Sam's old school, with the brother of one of his best friends out for revenge. He had never imagined that his friend went through what he had in his life and the fact that Sam came out the other side a better, stronger man said a lot about him. Sam was a fighter, always had been, always would be. That's why he did what he did.

Sam blinked several times as the gunshot echoed in his ears. He turned slowly to look behind him and met the eyes of Spike who held the smoking gun in his hands. It wasn't often that Spike had to take a lethal shot, but he had done it today. Spike had saved his life, again. He swallowed hard.

"Sam." Ed placed a gentle hand on Sam's shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just need a minute." Sam answered as he looked his friend in the eye.

"Take all the time you need. We'll be here." Ed replied.

Sam nodded his head before turning and walking several paces away. When he approached a large boulder he paused, closed his eyes, placed a hand on the boulder and drew in a deep breath. He had spent years dealing with the death of his sister, his treatment at the academy, the death of Hanson, and the utter hatred from his parents. Today, though, had brought all of those things back to the forefront of his mind and he took a long minute putting them all back in the locked chest in the furthest reaches of his heart once more. He now had a family that loved him, friends that would never leave him, and a job that he lived for. His life couldn't get any better than it was and he reminded himself of that as he drew in several deep, cleansing breaths.

Five minutes after the shot that killed Hanson was fired Sam turned back to join the rest of his Team, the teens from the Academy, and his parents. He completely ignored the glares that his mother was shooting his way and instead went directly to Ed.

"Need help?" Sam asked as he glanced at Hanson's body. _Good shot Spike._ Sam thought as he took in the bullet hole in the exact center of the Captain's eyes.

"Nah, there are uniforms on their way. Should be here shortly. They'll take care of it." Ed answered as he turned to Sam.

"We need to get these kids out of here." Sam commented tearing his gaze away from the dead body to the gathered teens nearby. "We have a young man that needs to see his brother."

"Agreed. Cooper, Jackson, stay here until the Unis get here. Everyone else, we're going back to the Academy. Please, follow us."

Ed, Spike, Sam, and Leah organized the group together. They would have to take the teens into custody once they reached the Academy but Sam was going to speak with the judge. Their actions here today were made under duress. He hoped he could get the charges dismissed, or at least a sentence of community service for the young men. Spike and Leah took the responsibility of guiding Sam's parents as Sam and Ed guided the boys. Spike had volunteered for the job as he knew that if Sam was subjected to them for the amount of time it would take to get back to the Academy he would be likely to Scorpio their asses. The group headed out with Leah in the lead followed by the Braddocks, Spike, Ed, the teens, and Sam took up the rear.

As they walked Jason hung back a bit to walk beside Sam.

"I'm sorry you had to experience all those painful things." Jason commented as he carefully watched the trail before him. "No one deserves to have to deal with that."

"When I was your age I thought that everything that had happened to me was my fault. It all started that day that my sister died and only got worse from there. But, then I found a friend, someone who believed in me. He helped me see that there was more to life than the bad things. That good still existed. If it weren't for him I wouldn't be here today." Sam said retrospectively.

"You said believed. Past tense. What happened to your friend?" Jason asked curiously.

Sam chanced a glance at the young man. He was very observant young man.

"He died in Afghanistan." Sam answered simply, turning his attention to the trail once again.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Jason and Sam walked in silence from that point on. Both were lost in their own thoughts. Sam was still trying to ensure all the memories were once again locked away where they belonged. Jason, however, hadn't missed the brief yet intense look of sadness and loss in the officer's eyes when telling of his friend. Jason had a feeling that there was much more to the story, and that Sam most definitely didn't want to talk about it.

After over an hour of hiking through the woods in a light drizzle the Academy finally came into view. As the group approached the clearing and headed towards the center of campus they were greeted by EMT's, uniformed officers, and Commandant Lincoln. The commandant and EMT's immediately went to the Braddocks, ensuring that they were alright after their ordeal.

Uniforms began the task of taking the boys into custody. Sam observed Jason as a uniform officer approached him. At the same time the door to one of the dorms flew open and a boy began running full speed towards the group.

"Jason!" The boy yelled, his arms outstretched as he ran.

Sam immediately saw the family resemblance and motioned for the officer to hold off cuffing the young man for a moment.

"Mikey!" Jason fell to one knee as his little brother slammed into him.

Both boys tightly wrapped their arms around each other. As Sam watched both broke down into tears.

"Is he going to hurt me again?" Sam heard Mikey ask.

"Never again! I promise! Mikey, I am so sorry for everything! I should have protected you better. I love you so much!"

"It's okay Jason. I trust you. You always take really good care of me."

"Hanson can't hurt you anymore. My new friend Sam made sure of that. We don't have to worry about Captain Bully anymore!"

Sam watched for two long minutes as the brothers simply held each other. He hated that these boys would be broken up simply because a Captain abused his power over them. The officer was about to break up the group when Commandant Lincoln strode out of his office where he had gone with the Braddocks and walked quickly towards the group of officers and students.

"Officers, there is no need to take these young men into custody." Lincoln stated as he approached Ed. "These boys were acting under duress. Is there a way we can simply pass this off as a training exercise? I don't want any of these boys to suffer anymore due to he horrendous actions of a man that can no longer do anything about it."

"I'm sorry Sir. We have to take them into custody. They abducted a couple..." Ed tried to explain.

"The Braddock's don't want to press charges." Lincoln quickly stated. "The understand that all the actions taken here today were those of boys who were being manipulated by an authority figure."

"Sir, how do you expect us to explain the situation then?" Ed asked pointedly.

"I've already put a call in to the local judge that would handle the case. He said that since the boys were acting under duress, that Hanson's actions caused his own death, and since the Braddocks were not harmed nor did they want to press charges he would allow it the boys to go without jail time. They will be expected to perform some community service and psyche evals but other than that he sees no reason to subject them to further discipline." Lincoln explained.

Ed's eyes widened, as did those of everyone who was in ear shot which included Team One, Jason, and Mikey.

"What does that mean?" Jason asked as he turned to Sam.

"That means that you're free to go. You're not going to jail. You'll have to do some community work but they are letting you go." Sam answered with a smile. "It means you'll be here to look out for your brother and take care of him, just like you always have."

Jason turned to his little brother and once again the brother embraced. They were free, or Hanson, of prison. They were free to be themselves and that was the best freedom that they could have been granted.

* * *

**Richmond's Academy for Boys - Inside Commandant Lincoln's Office**

General Braddock stood gazing out the office window as Commandant Lincoln was explaining the situation to the gathered officers and boys outside. He was ignoring the running obscenities coming from his wife. She was pretty pissed at him for not pressing charges but he could care less. During his captivity he had learned a lot about his son, and even more today. He didn't think Samuel was ever going to forgive him for what had happened in the past, for what he did. But, he decided that the boys here today wouldn't get the same treatment from him that he had given his son.

He had learned over the last year. General Braddock knew that no one deserved to be treated the way he had been treated his own son. He knew it was too little too late but he hoped that his refusal to file charges against the boys would be a start to redeeming himself. He still had a long way to go though, that he knew well.

* * *

**SRU SUV En Route to Toronto**

Ed looked to his right where Sam sat staring out the window of the SUV.

"You alright Samo?" Ed asked, slightly worried.

"It's just been a very _long_ year." Sam answered simply.

"You're telling me. But today...today is the start of a new era for Samuel Braddock." Ed smiled.

"What makes you say that?" Sam turned to look at Ed curiously.

"You may have a past from hell, but you've got a great future ahead of you. You don't have to worry about being recalled again. You've made a difference in the lives of some boys that are going through some of what you went through. Now you're going home to a beautiful family. You have a life ahead of you that some can only dream of having. You did good today Sam. Now it's time to move on and enjoy life."

Sam simply stared at his friend.

"You're right Ed. All the bad stuff, that's in the past.  Even my relationship with my parents is in the past. I'm not going to let them control me anymore.  Now I've got Jules, Sadie, and Matt who is the happiest baby I've ever seen. I've got my job that I love and that allows me to help those who are having the worst day of their lives. And I've got my SRU family. I don't know what I would do without you guys."

"Right back at you Samtastic!" Spike piped up over the comms. "We don't know what wed do without you brother."

Sam smiled as he gazed out the window once again.  He was home.  He was finally home and he'd get to stay.  When he had been recalled he didn't know if he'd ever get to come home.  But now?  Now he was not only home, but he'd get to stay.  What could be better than that?


End file.
